Flow care plg cd4 test

Absolute blood CD4+ T cell counts were measured using a Flow-CARE PLG CD4 test (Beckman Coulter). For HIV-infected individuals, plasma HIV-1 RNA levels were quantified using Abbott m2000 RealTime HIV-1 assay. For HLA typing, DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using the QIAamp Mini Blood kit (Qiagen). High-resolution HLA class II genotypes were determined using 454/Fluidigm HLA Typing Kits (Roche) following the manufacturer’s protocols (16 (link)).

Twenty HIV-uninfected and 20 HIV-infected individuals sensitized to Mtb were recruited from the Ubuntu clinic (Khayelitsha, Cape Town). Exclusion criteria included: antiretroviral treatment and previous history of chronic disease (including TB). Mtb sensitization was defined based on a positive interferon-γ release assay (Quantiferon, Cellestis), no symptoms of active TB disease, a negative TB culture and a normal chest X-ray. Absolute blood CD4+ cell counts were measured using a Flow-CARE PLG CD4 test (Beckman Coulter). For HIV-infected individuals, plasma HIV-1 RNA levels were quantified using Abbott m2000 RealTime HIV-1 assay. The clinical characteristics of each individual are presented in Table 1. The University of Cape Town institutional review board approved this study (158/2010) and all subjects provided informed consent for participation.