In individuals with combined TB-DM, from whom none harbored a drug-resistant Mtb strain, higher levels of four inflammatory proteins (ADA, IL-17A, IL-17C, and IL-20RA) after two months of TB treatment significantly predicted positive Mtb sputum culture results after six months of TB treatment, with IL-17A and IL-17C most strongly associated. The gene discussed is IL17A; the disease is tuberculosis.