The percentage of IL-1b-positive hMDMs was similar after 6 hr and 24 hr stimulations by ESAT-6 1 μg/ml (35.6 ± 12.4% vs. 31.6 ± 22.5%, P = 0.695) and ESAT-6 5 μg/ml (24.8 ± 13.1 vs. 26.5 ± 29.6%, P > 0.999) in LTBI cases, whereas it was significantly decreased by ESAT-6 1 μg/ml stimulation in active TB patients (26.7 ± 16.6 vs. 14.0 ± 11.2, P = 0.012). The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is tuberculosis.