Profile of Interferon-gamma levels in patients infected with <i>mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> and coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus in Yaoundé

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem globally with HIV/AIDS being the main predisposing factor to Mycobacterium  tuberculosis (MTB) infection. Interferon Gamma (IFN- ) is one of the most important cytokines in the host immune response against this  mycobacterium. This study aimed to determine the profile of IFN- levels in patients infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and co- infected with HIV in Yaoundé. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the Yaoundé Jamot Hospital and the Yaoundé  University Teaching Hospital from August - November 2021. Ninety (90) participants were enrolled (45 pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB)  cases and 45 healthy controls). ALERE DETERMINE HIV-1/2 rapid diagnostic test plus HIV AB/AG ELISA HUMAN COMBO was used for HIV  screening, and IFN- levels were measured by sandwich ELISA method. Among the 45 cases, 35 were PTB infected only, while 10 (22.2%)  were HIV/TB co-infected. IFN- levels were higher in the TB-HIV co-infected group (7.24pg/ml ± 6,9) and the TB mono-infected group  (4.11pg/ml ± 3.02) as compared to healthy controls (3.31 ± 2.14). In TB patients, a negative correlation was observed between the IFN-  levels and the duration of antituberculosis therapy, indicating the importance of IFN- in accelerating recovery from PTB following treatment. Considering the limited number of cases studied, further studies are needed to demonstrate the value of this cytokine in the  management of MTB in Cameroon.