Antigen-induced production of perforin in a population of cytotoxic (CD8) T-lymphocytes

11 patients infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) within no more than 2 year term at absence of radiological attributes of local primary tuberculosis and 10 patients with for the first time revealed pulmonary tuberculosis were included into our research. During immunological research populational structure of peripheral blood lymphocytes and perforin production by peripheral blood mononuclears before antibacterial therapy were defined. At an induction by both PPD and ESAT-6 antigens percents of cytotoxic (CD8) T-lymphocytes, producing perforin, were considerably higher in group of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, than in group of MBT infected patients. The received results testify to an opportunity of differentiation of a latent tubercular infection from active process at the analysis of antigen-induced population perforin producing cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.