Alpha-1-antitrypsin, immunoglobulins and radiological type in Nigerians with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tuberculin skin test tended to be more intensely reactive in the caseonodular and other groups than the military group. Serum IgA, IgG and IgM and alpha-I-antitrypsin levels were higher in Northern Nigerians with pulmonary tuberculosis than in controls. IgA and IgG levels were higher in miliary tuberculosis than caseonodular and cavitating tuberculosis. The cavitatory lesions in tuberculosis may not result from autodigestion by inflammatory proteases since alpha-I-antitrypsin-the major inhibitor of proteases was not deficient in cavitatory tuberculosis. While an unqualified immunological spectrum of tuberculous disease in our patients has not clearly been demonstrated due to limited facilities, our results show a tendency to this spectrum.