Distribution of red blood cell antigens in drug-resistant and drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis

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Tuberculosis (TB) is still a widespread world infectious disease. Mycobacterium tuberculosis kills more people than any other single pathogen, with an estimated one-third of the world's population being infected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), two billion people are infected with the causative bacillus of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is rather prevalent in the country of Georgia today. Frequency distribution of ABO, Rh-Hr, MN, Kell blood group system antigens were studied in 277 TB patients (151-drug-sensitive and 126 drug-resistant) of pulmonary tuberculosis to know whether there was any association between them, and also between drug resistance and sensitiveness. They were compared with 485 healthy subjects. Tests were carried out by standard test-tube technique and plate reaction for the following antigens: A, B; C, c, D, E, e; K and k, M and N. The research materials were collected from Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases National Centre of Georgia and Ptisio-pulmonogical Hospital of Adjara Region (Georgia). Present serological study has shown high frequency distribution of 0 and B phenotypes and r allele from ABO system, D antigen from Rh-Hr system and M antigen from MN blood group in TB patients then healthy subjects. This might explain the sensitivity of these antigens with pulmonary tuberculosis in Georgia. No significant difference between drug resistant and drug sensitive TB was found, thus the research in this direction has no importance. No association existed even when divided by age group in incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Key words: Drug-resistant and drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis, red cell markers, alleles, frequency, haplotypes.