Association of vitamin D receptor TaqI gene polymorphism and vitamin D deficiency with risk of pulmonary tuberculosis in the Ethiopian population

Background: The relationship between vitamin D receptor gene variations and other risk factors in pulmonary tuberculosis remains unclear, largely due to the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate how TaqI gene polymorphism and vitamin D deficiency affect the risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods: A hospital-based case–control study of 70 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 70 age- and sex-matched healthy controls was conducted. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured using ELISA to assess vitamin D status. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples, and VDR TaqI polymorphism was analyzed using PCR-RFLP. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios at a 95% confidence level. Results: Our analysis showed that the TaqI-tt genotype (OR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.21–4.06; P = 0.022) and t allele (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.02–2.70; P = 0.038) are considerably higher in patients than controls. Our study also identified vitamin D deficiency, which was found to be considerably greater in patients than controls (OR = 5.14; 95% CI: 2.49–10.58; P < 0.001), indicating that it is a major risk factor for the onset of pulmonary tuberculosis. Conclusion: The TaqI gene of the tt genotype and the t allele have been linked to an increased risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis. Moreover, vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for the occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis.