The ideal focus on cytokine patterns determines their biomarker abilities for prognosis, TB detection (IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α)39,40, discrimination of TB from LTB (TNF, IL-12p40 and IL-17)41 and treatment outcome (IL-6, IL-1β and IFN-γ /IL-10 ratio)38,42,43. Here, IL17A is linked to tuberculosis.