Chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in lymphocytes of patients before and after exposure to anti-tuberculosis drugs

To evaluate the genetic damage induced by tuberculosis infection and also by a combination of therapeutic exposure to anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs(isoniazid + rifampicin + pyrazinamide + ethambutol or streptomycin) we have considered chromosome aberrations (CA) and micronuclei (MN) in binucleate peripheral blood lymphocytes from 36 patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis prior to receiving anti-TB drugs in the first phase and in the second phase after 6 months of therapy with anti-TB drugs. The same cytogenetic study has also been performed on 36 healthy individual controls. It was shown that the frequencies of both CA and micronucleated binucleate cells increased significantly after therapy with anti-TB drugs as compared with TB patients and controls. In addition, we observed that both cytogenetic markers (CA and MN) in patients before treatment with anti-TB drugs were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than controls. No relationship was found between the frequency of MN and donor age. Thus, apart from drug effects, infection with tuberculosis is associated with increased CA and MN.