Tuberculous Infection Is Not Life-Long in Most People.

[2greys]

A new analysis challenges the longstanding notion that tuberculous infection is a life-long infection that could strike at any time and cause tuberculosis (TB). Based on a review of clinical studies, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues show that people who test positive with immunologic TB skin or blood tests rarely develop TB. They suggest it’s because the infecting organism, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is likely dead, wiped out naturally by people’s immune systems. Despite that, these people retain an immunological memory to the disease, which the authors say likely explains why standard TB tests show a positive result, since those tests look for an immune response and not live bacteria. The study was published this week in the journal BMJ.

pennmedicine.org/news/news-...

BMJ link:

bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l5770

[twinkleyt]

I remember having a TB test at school when I was 6 when it was a scratch on the back of middle shoulders/back. I had an immune reaction then.

When I was 14 had the wrist flames test and again I had the immune reaction . Had an X-ray to see if there were signs of actually having had it which mum said I didn't.

So never had the BCG jab. I mentioned that I was immune to someone who said that didn't mean I would be immune all my life and it would have been better to have had the jab at 14 which is life-long immunity. Well I am 75 now and although I have developed asthma there is no sign of any TB on my chest X-rays. I did not pass my immunity onto my daughter, though, and no other member of my family was immune or had had TB.

I suppose it was known that some people are immune but is unknown why or how. There were 5 others who reacted as immune in my year at school.