International Research in Thailand

我们以前已经在泰国北部的弥散性非结核分枝杆菌感染患者中发现了干扰素γ自身抗体。我们还表明，血库献血者没有这些自身抗体。去年，我们在泰国和台湾开发了基础设施来执行这个项目，然后在6个月内完成了我们的全部注册。所有样本现在都在贝塞斯达进行抗细胞因子自身抗体检测。

We have previously identified autoantibodies to interferon gamma in patients in northern Thailand who have disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infections. We have also shown that blood bank donors do not have these autoantibodies. This last year we have developed the infrastructure in Thailand and Taiwan to execute this project and then completed our entire enrollment in 6 months. All samples are now in Bethesda for anticytokine autoantibody testing. We have confirmed the presence of anti-interferon gamma autoantibodies in the majority of the disseminated nontuberculous infection subjects from the various sites. In parallel with this project in Thailand, we identified a population of patients with anticytokine autoantibodies and thymoma, a form of thymic cancer. We have developed the local laboratory support to obtain appropriate lymphocyte counts and plasma samples and cytokine stimulations and comprehensive anticytokine autoantibody detection through our collaborator, Dr. Peter Burbelo.