Although the bacterial loads in AMs in terms of ribosomal RNA were highly correlated with the NRF expression levels in AM, the absence of M. TB ribosomal RNA in PBMCs indicates AM or PBMCs of TB patients do not necessarily contain M. TB bacilli to express NRF or to release IP-10/CXCL10 or IL-8/CXCL8. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is tuberculosis.