TLR4 and tuberculosis: Presence of the rs4986790 polymorphism in TLR4 has been found to have a protective effect in other intracellular pathogens as well, including Mycobacterium lepra27 and Legionella. 28In a more recent study by Ortega et al., the minor allele G was also associated with deceased risk of active tuberculosis (OR = 0.31).29