In depth analysis revealed that the differentially expressed immune parameters contributing the most to discriminate Mtb-specific immune response of TB patients from TZ and SA were the percentages of CD4 T cells expressing Gata-3 and T-bethigh, the proportion of polyfunctional TNF-α/IFN-γ/IL-2, dual TNF-α/IFN-γ and single IFN-γ Mtb-specific CD4 T cells among total Mtb-specific CD4 T-cell responses, levels of IL-5 in Mtb-stimulated culture supernatants and IFN-β serum levels (Fig 5A and 5B and Table 2). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is tuberculosis.