IL-10 high producing genotype predisposes HIV infected individuals to TB infection.

Interleukin (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, is known to have dual effect on the host immune system. One of these roles is that it provides an effective autoregulatory mechanism which protects the host from excessive inflammation and tissue damage which is in part initiated by the Th1 driven pro-inflammatory immune responses during infections (such as TB, HIV and malaria). However, though beneficial, this autoregulatory mechanism is at times exploited by pathogens which evade elimination by Th1 driven immune response leading to chronic infections.