Consistent with previous studies [41, 42], our study suggested that the levels of IP-10, TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-1Ra and CXCL-1 in TB1 and TB2 tubes had excellent diagnostic capabilities for distinguishing ATB patients from non-ATB patients (including LTBI and previous TB) and LTBI. Here, TNF is linked to tuberculosis.