World journal of experimental medicine
Bacterial load and transforming growth factor-beta: Predicting the extent of lung damage in pulmonary tuberculosis patients
By Kandi PN, Iskandar MH, Putrawan HA and 6 others.
Abstract
Background
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health burden, with disease severity determined by the complex interplay between pathogen burden and host immune responses. Mycobacterial load and serum transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) are parameters potentially associated with disease progression and pulmonary tissue damage. TGF-β, as an immunoregulatory cytokine, plays a dual role in TB pathogenesis by suppressing protective immunity while contributing to fibrotic tissue remodeling. Despite their clinical relevance, the direct correlation between bacterial load, serum TGF-β, and radiological lesion extent in newly diagnosed patients remains insufficiently clarified in high-burden clinical settings.
Aim
To analyze the correlation between bacterial load, serum TGF-β, and radiological lesion extent in newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients.
