The cytokine pattern observed in patients with pleural TB reflects a model by Wigginton and Kirscher [53] that was designed to predict CMI during human infection with Mtb. We found increased IFN-γ expression in necrotic granulomas and, although, like TNF-α, it is crucial in defence against Mtb, high effector cytokine levels during chronic phases of disease may contribute to immunopathology, especially in the presence of high TNF-α expression [54], [36], [53]. Here, TNF is linked to infection.