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News
A new study found that children with tuberculosis show significantly higher levels of specific immune proteins — CD209 and Dectin-2 — in their lung fluid compared to kids with other lung diseases. These C-type lectins could serve as diagnostic biomarkers and may one day power a point-of-care test for pediatric TB, offering a faster, more accessible path to diagnosis.
Researchers studying pediatric tuberculosis have identified a promising set of immune markers that could reshape how TB is diagnosed in children. A study presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology found that children with intrathoracic TB had significantly elevated levels of two C-type lectin proteins — CD209 (DC-SIGN) and Dectin-2 — in their bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid compared to children with other lung conditions.
The study analyzed BAL samples from 102 children with suspected TB and 102 controls. CD209-upregulated immune cells were found in 46.2% of TB cases vs. just 9% of controls, while Dectin-2-upregulated cells appeared in 7.2% of TB cases vs. 0% of controls. Elevated levels of key inflammatory markers — including TNF-alpha, IL-6, and interferon-gamma — were also observed in TB patients.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Diagnosing TB in children is notoriously difficult. These findings lay the groundwork for a point-of-care biomarker test that could make pediatric TB diagnosis faster and more accessible — particularly in high-burden settings where advanced lab infrastructure is limited.
