HIV-TB co-infected patients neither had a well-defined pro-inflammatory TH1 (IL-12 p70, IFN-γ and TNF-α) nor a regulatory TH2 (IL-4 and IL-10) immune environment at the time of diagnosis, which was further evident from the intermediate IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio in these patients. The gene discussed is IL4; the disease is tuberculosis.