Dynamic Antigen-specific T-Cell Responses after Point-Source Exposure to <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>

Abstract

The decrease in M. tuberculosis-specific T cells and their disappearance in a proportion of treated students likely reflect declining antigenic and bacterial load in vivo induced by antibiotic treatment. The observed disappearance of M. tuberculosis-specific T cells in the untreated TST-negative contacts suggests that an acute resolving infection may occur in some contacts.