A Review Of Host-Specific Diagnostic And Surrogate Biomarkers In Children With Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common causes of mortality globally with a steady rise in paediatric cases in the past decade. Laboratory methods of diagnosing TB and monitoring response to treatment have limitations. Current research focuses on interrogating host- and/or pathogen-specific biomarkers to address this problem.

Methods: We reviewed the literature on host-specific biomarkers in TB to determine their value in diagnosis and treatment response in TB infected and HIV/TB co-infected children on anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Results and conclusion: While no single host-specific biomarker has been identified for diagnosis or treatment responses in children, several studies suggest predictive biosignatures for disease activity. Alarmingly, current data on host-specific biomarkers for diagnosing and assessing anti-tuberculosis treatment in TB/HIV co-infected children is inadequate. Various factors affecting host-specific biomarker responses should be considered in interpreting findings and designing future studies within specific clinical settings.