The impact of the rs1861494 interferon-gammagene polymorphism on susceptibility to pulmonarytuberculosis in the Yemeni population: acase-control study

Background and aims: Pulmonary tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge. This study investigated the association between the interferon-gamma rs1861494 Cytosine/Thymine polymorphism and pulmonary tuberculosis susceptibility among Yemeni individuals and evaluated environmental and socioeconomic risk factors.Methods: A matched case–control study included 200 patients with newly diagnosed Pulmonary tuberculosis and 200 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Pulmonary tuberculosis was confirmed using GeneXpert, and interferon-gamma rs1861494 genotyping was performed by TaqMan real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction.Results: No significant association was observed between the interferon-gamma rs1861494 polymorphism and Pulmonary tuberculosis susceptibility under any genetic model (all p > 0.05). However, illiteracy (OR = 63.60, 95% CI: 24.23–166.96, p < 0.001), low income (OR = 15.09, 95% CI: 6.08–37.41, p < 0.001), close contact with TB patients (OR = 13.40, 95% CI: 4.69–52.20, p < 0.001), family history of TB (OR = 7.72, 95% CI: 3.92–15.20, p < 0.001), poor household ventilation (OR = 5.14, 95% CI: 1.72–21.10, p = 0.001), smoking (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.34–2.98, p = 0.0006), and absence of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccination (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.09–2.50, p = 0.020) were significantly associated with increased Pulmonary tuberculosis risk.Conclusion: The interferon-gamma rs1861494 polymorphism was not associated with Pulmonary tuberculosis susceptibility in this population. In contrast, environmental and socioeconomic determinants were major contributors to Pulmonary tuberculosis risk, highlighting the importance of targeted public health interventions and further genetic studies.