IL-6, TNF-α as well as PGE2 were increased significantly from 14.8, 0.3 and 9488 pg ml−1, respectively, in the C group to 152.1, 12.3 and 49 096 pg ml−1, respectively in TB group (Figures 3a–c), whereas IL-1β and IFN-γ levels were below the detection limit of the assay. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is tuberculosis.