Percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes in blood of tuberculosis patients.

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis is a fatal infectious disease, mainly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Spread of TB is controlled by cell-mediated immunity. Purpose of this study was to determine CD4+ and CD8+ T cell percentages in TB patients.

METHODS

77 subjects consisted of 39 patients of active tuberculosis and 37 normal healthy individuals were recruited for the study. Among patients, 27 were at different stages of anti-tuberculous therapy while rests of the patients were not taking treatment. Sixteen patients were sputum positive for AFB while other patients were sputum negative for AFB. T cells percentages were determined by flow cytometer.

RESULTS

In TB patients CD4+ and CD8+ T cells percentages were 34.4 +/- 9.8 and 32.0 +/- 9.8 while in controls these were 37.1 +/- 6.9 and 30.2 +/- 7.2 respectively but the difference was statistically insignificant. CD4+ T cell percentage in newly diagnosed TB patients was 28.8 +/- 8.7 while it was 37.9 +/- 8.9 in TB patients who were on therapy and difference was statistically significant whereas difference in CD8+ T-cell percentages was statistically insignificant. A negative correlation between CD8+ T-cells percentage and the duration of ATT was found.

CONCLUSION

CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells percentages may help to find out the immune status of TB patients before and after the completion of ATT.