The tuberculin skin test looks to identify __________ specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Question

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The tuberculin skin test measures the delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to purified protein derivative (PPD), which contains antigens specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The DTH reaction primarily involves the activation of TH1 cells, which produce cytokines to recruit and activate macrophages to the site of injection. This results in a local inflammatory response, which can be measured by the size of the induration (raised area) at the injection site.

The Tuberculin Skin Test Looks to Identify __________ Specific to Mycobacterium