[Localization and significance of lysozyme in tuberculosis]

The relationship between expression of lysozyme and tuberculosis lesions was studied in 132 patients. The positive rate of lysozyme expression in 132 tuberculosis cases was 83.3%. Lysozyme was mainly distributed intracellularly, and the positive rates in different types, i.e. in cases with lesions of caseous necrosis, cellular nodes, and fibroid nodes were 90.1%, 79.3% and 63.3% respectively (P < 0.05 between lesions of caseous necrosis and fibroid nodes). The positive rate of lysozyme in cases of infection associated with L-form tubercule bacillus was 64.4%, which was higher in cases with positive L-form antigen than that in antigen negative cases (P < 0.025). The results indicated that expression of lysozyme was rather active, and might be considered as a marker for the prognosis of tuberculosis treatment.