Levels of serum immunoglobulins in pulmonary tuberculosis patients

Abstract

Levels of immunoglobulin G, A and M were quantitatively determined in sera from Indian patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and from healthy subjects. The mean levels of immunoglobulins were raised in pulmonary tuberculosis patients, but particularly those of IgG and IgA were significantly higher than in normal subjects. Further, the cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were divided into 3 subgroups, minimal, moderately advanced, and far advanced, depending upon the extent of involvement of lung parenchyma as visualized by chest roentgenogram. On comparing the serum immunoglobulin values amongst 3 subgroups of pulmonary tuberculosis, no significant difference could be observed. However, there was a tendency towards increase in immunoglobulin levels with increasing severity of disease. The present study correlates well with the reported immunoglobulin class of antibody response to antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.