Significant differences concerning cytokine response patterns could be identified in blood from patients with TB (AFS+, QFT-GIT + and culture+) versus blood from health care workers in response to Rv3804c (Ag85A, IFN-γ p = 0.009 as well as for IL-17, p = 0.019) and Rv2962 (pHBAD, rhamnosyl-transferase, p = 0.042 for IL-17 production) (Additional file 1: Tables S2-4, Additional file 1: Figures S1 and S2). The gene discussed is IL17A; the disease is tuberculosis.