Immunological role of cluster of differentiation 56 and cluster of differentiation 19 in patients infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis in Iraq

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most dangerous infection mainly caused by gram positive bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and cause many deaths every year worldwide especially in developing countries and activate the humoral and cellular immune response. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CD56 and CD19 as diagnostic and immune markers in patients infected with Mtb. A total number of 26 patients infected Mtb and 27 patients infected with Multi-Drug resistance Mtb (MDR-Mtb) and 30 healthy individuals were included in this study. Mtb has been diagnosed by acid fast stain and MDR-Mtb were diagnosed by GeneXpert® heminested real time PCR for simultaneous detection of Mtb and rifampicin (RIF) resistance as MDR-Mtb. Serum concentration of CD56 and CD19 has been measurement by Enzyme-Linked Immune-sorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Results of this study showed a significant increase in the serum concentration of CD56 (P value = 0.0001) in Mtb-patients (1.95 ± 0.08 ng/ml) as compared with healthy individuals (1.17 ± 0.09 ng/ml). The same significant increases in the serum concentration of CD56 (2.24 ± 0.12 ng/ml) was reported in MDR-Mtb patients as compared to the healthy individuals. On the other hand, there was significant increase (P value 0.003) in serum concentration of CD19 in Mtb-patients as compared with MDR-Mtb-patients. Results of the study can be concluded that Mtb and MDR-Mtb infection stimulates the cellular and humoral immune response which resulted in the increased production of CD56 and CD19. •Infected with Mtb and MDR-Mtb caused increase in the levels of serum CD56 and CD19.•Infected with Mtb and MDR-Mtb caused increase in the cellular and humoral immune response.•The high level of CD56 and CD19 may be considered an early aid in the detection of Mtb infection.