Abstract:

Tuberculosis is not only a bacterial infectious disease but also an immune disease. The occurrence, development, and prognosis of tuberculosis are closely related to the anti-tuberculosis immunity of the patients. Patients with active tuberculosis usually have abnormalities in the function of innate immune and adaptive immune. Detecting the number of immune cells and immune function can evaluate the immune status of active tuberculosis patients, to provide evidence for clinical immune intervention. The immune intervention using immune agents can enhance immunity function, improve the cure rate and shorten the course of treatment, eliminate the persistent Mycobacterium tuberculosis and reduce the recurrence rate. Although the immunodiagnosis of tuberculosis is widely used in the clinic, the mechanisms of anti-tuberculosis immunity and immune abnormality and their role in tuberculosis are not well understood and lack in-depth research. There is no consensus on the indication of immune function evaluation, the application of the evaluation index, and their clinical significance in active tuberculosis patients. In addition, the application of immune agents is limited by the policy, and there is also no consensus on immune intervention or not, the indication of immunotherapy and selection of immune agents for active tuberculosis patients. Therefore, the experts were organized to draw up “Expert consensus on immune function assessment and immunotherapy in patients with active tuberculosis (2021 Edition)” by the Eighth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Antituberculosis, Basic and Clinical Speciality Committees of Tuberculosis Control Branch of China International Exchange and Promotive Association for Medical and Health Care. This expert consensus outlines the mechanism of anti-tuberculosis immunity and immune abnormality in tuberculosis patients; introduces the immunological detection methods commonly used in tuberculosis clinic practice; puts forward the indications, methods, and strategies for evaluating the immune status of active tuberculosis patients; systematically introduces the clinical immunotherapy preparations available in clinic practice, and puts forward the indications and contraindications of immunotherapy for active tuberculosis patients, to help clinicians timely and reasonably carry out the immunotherapy in the patients with active tuberculosis.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Immunoassay, Immunotherapy, Consensus development conferences as topic