Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) infection is on the rise worldwide and continues to be one of the leading causes of adult
mortality in developing nations. The serum contents of several trace elements, including zinc (Zn), manganese
(Mn), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd), were assessed in 100 blood samples from 60 active tuberculosis
patients (test subjects) and 40 people who seemed to be in good health (control). An Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer was used to measure the elements' serum concentrations. The findings indicated that patients
with TB had substantially (P<0.05) greater levels of Cd than the control group, but significantly (P<0.05) lower
quantities of Zn, Mn, and Cr. Zn and Mn concentrations in TB patients did not change significantly (P>0.05)
according to sex, however Cr and Cd concentrations did differ significantly (P<0.05) between the male and
female participants. Age-dependent decreases in Cr and increases in Cd were seen in both genders, although there
was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the amounts of Mn and Cd across the age groups examined. Our
findings imply that whereas serum Cd levels are up in TB patients, Zn, Mn, and Cr concentrations are decreased.
Key words: Infectious disease, Serum concentration, Tuberculosis, Trace elements