[Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis: evaluation of the TB IgA EIA assay in Morroco]

We analysed 2 evaluation lots of the TB IgA EIA test in pulmonary tuberculosis patients [TBp]. Sera were obtained from 345 TBp, 18 healthy subjects [HS], 28 subjects in contact with tuberculous patients [CS] and 16 non-tuberculous lung disease patients [N-TB] for the first evaluation lots and 302 TBp, 60 HS, 21 CS and 18 N-TB for the second. IgA titres against p-90 antigen with the second evaluation lot were significantly higher than the first evaluation lot. With the second evaluation lots, the sensitivity was 78.8% whereas with the first evaluation lot, the sensitivity was 75.9%. Specificity for the first and second evaluation lots was 50% and 70.7% respectively. The sensitivity of this test is still not satisfactory to establish pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis