BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS OF INFLAMMATION IN TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS FROM TRIBAL AND NON-TRIBAL COMMUNITIES OF UDAIPUR REGION

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to pose a serious health threat, especially in rural parts of India. Inflammation is a key to how TB develops and progresses. Tracking certain blood markers – such as C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) – can help us understand how severe the disease is and predict how it might unfold. This study looks at the levels of these markers in TB patients from tribal and non-tribal backgrounds in rural India. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 150 TB patients – 75 from tribal and 75 from non-tribal communities. Blood samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. We also gathered clinical and demographic data, including symptoms, disease duration, and treatment details. We compared inflammatory marker levels across groups using statistical analysis. Results: TB patients from tribal communities had notably higher levels of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 than those from non-tribal groups (p<0.05). These elevated levels were also linked to more severe symptoms and longer treatment durations. Interestingly, females showed higher levels of these markers compared to males across both communities. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that TB patients from tribal areas may experience a stronger inflammatory response, which could be tied to delays in diagnosis or treatment. There’s a clear need for early intervention and better access to care in these underserved regions to improve outcomes and reduce TB’s impact.