Abstract

Background & Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All over the world TB is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), at the site of MTB infection, activates macrophages to kill intracellular mycobacteria. CD8+ T cells kill the cells infected by viruses and other intracellular microbes. Diagnostic significance of IFN-γ has been reviewed in latent and active TB. Aim of this study was to determine association between IFN-γ and CD8+ T-cells in the blood of pulmonary TB-patients.

Methods: Study consisted of 54-TB-patients and 38 healthy subjects. Level of IFN-γ was determined by ELISA and percentage of CD8+ T-cells by flow cytometry.

Results: Level of IFN-γ and percentage of CD8+ T-lymphocytes were high in the blood of TB patients compared to control.

Conclusion: TB patients had high level of IFN-γ compared to healthy controls. IFN-γ and CD8+ T cells were negatively correlated with duration of treatment of tuberculosis. There was no difference in percentage of CD8+ T cells in TB patients after 3 months of chemotherapy compared to controls.

Key words: Interferon gamma, Tuberculosis, CD8+ T lymphocytes