The cumulative data showed that Mtb-stimulated cell culture supernatants of TB patients from TZ secreted similar levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-10 (P>0.05), but significantly higher levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17A and IL-17F than Mtb-stimulated cell culture supernatants of TB patients from SA (P<0.05; Fig 1D). Here, IL17F is linked to tuberculosis.