[The clinical and immunological manifestations of infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis under natural zinc deficiency].

Patients with infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis who lived in zinc-deficient areas (the level of mobile zinc in the soil is < 0.1 mg/kg, and its dietary level is 9.1 mg/day) were found to have a significant depression of the T-cell link of the immunity system along with enhanced activation apoptosis and decreased phagocytic activity of neutrophils. The detected immunological disorders determine a sluggish and asymptomatic onset and an unfavorable course of the disease with a predominance of destructive and bacillary forms.