After 4 weeks of anti-TB treatment, the numbers of CD4 and CD8 T-cells increased markedly in the ATB group compared with the cell numbers before treatment (Z = 37,712.50, P < 0.0001 and Z = 33,919.00, P < 0.0001, respectively; Fig. 2a, b) but were still below the corresponding levels in the control group (Z = 1498.50, P < 0.0001 and Z = 2605.00, P < 0.0001, respectively; Fig. 2a, b). Here, CD8A is linked to tuberculosis.