Tuberculosis (TB) is as old as mankind. This remains a major public health problem. World Health Organization declared the re-emerging menace of TB a global emergency. Malnutrition is frequently observed in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, but their nutritional status, especially of micronutrients, is still poorly documented. The presence of micronutrient deficiency has raised a question whether micronutrient supplementation would give the additional benefits for the patients of tuberculosis treatment program and what extent cytokine concentration in active tuberculosis would be modulated by anti-tubercular treatment and by micronutrient supplementation. This work emphasizes that zinc deficiency may indirectly influence the metabolism of Vitamin A via reduction of the levels of circulating proteins.

Irfan Ahmad did his Ph.D. (Microbiology) in 2013 from King George's Medical University UP, Lucknow, India. He received brilliant scholar certificate by Swami Vivekanand Shodh Sansthan and also awarded Senior Research Fellowship by Indian Council of Medical research, New Delhi, India. He has been published twelve research publication.