The role of IL-4 -589C/T and IL-5 − 746C>T polymorphisms in susceptibility to tuberculosis infection in a Sudanese population: A case-control study

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is the ninth leading cause of global mortality, with over 33% occurring in Africa, with Sudan's mortality rate at 25.0 deaths per 100,000 population. In 2023, Sudan's tuberculosis (TB) incidence is estimated at 134 cases per 100,000 population METHODS: A case-control study was conducted at Abu Anja Chest Hospital, Omdurman, Khartoum state, Sudan, between February 2018 and February 2021. The study aimed to investigate the role of IL-4-589 C/T and IL-5 - 746C>T gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to tuberculosis infection in Sudanese patients, employing PCR-RFLP. 200 Sudanese patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 200 healthy controls were included. Data analysis was done using the IBM SPSS software package version 20.0. RESULTS: The mutant and heterozygous genotypes in IL-5 - 746C>T polymorphism were associated with an almost six-fold increased risk of active TB in the Sudanese population. The odds ratio was 5.643 (95% CI: 3.050-10.440), and the P-value < 0.001. No statistically significant differences were detected in the genotype and allele frequencies of IL-4-589 C/T genes between patients and controls. CONCLUSION: These results provide novel evidence for the significant risk of TB in Sudanese people carrying the mutant and heterozygous genotypes of IL-5 - 746C>T genes.