Key words: Tuberculosis, BCG, Immunoglobulins INTRODUCTION Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease of worldwide importance and TB still exists at an alarming level with about one third of the world’s population infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Eight million people developing the disease and three 1 million people dying of TB each year . It affects both sexes and all ages due to poverty, overcrowding, low socioeconomic status, multiple pregnancies, active & passive smoking, lack of health education, under- 2 nutrition, poor housing . In many populations there is an excess of tuberculosis in young women and older men. Possible explanations for these patterns, includes of human immunodeficiency virus, pregnancy, smoking, smoke exposure during cooking, contact with tuberculosis cases within the household or outside areas, and gender differences in health 3 service usage and diagnostic delay . Tuberculosis has been neglected as public health issue for many years and remains the major cause of death from a single infectious agent among adults in developing countries. Tuberculosis morbidity and mortality continues to rise because of deterioration of 4 public health system . The incidence of tuberculosis in Pakistan was 234/100,000 in 1995, and was estimated to rise to 269/100,000 by the year 2005. One of the maxim of tuberculosis control has been inadequate therapy, which is worse than no therapy at 5 all . Tuberculosis may develop any where in the body, but usually presents as pulmonary infection, ranging from mild infiltration to chronic, cavity formation, and severely destructive disease. The different manifestations of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis reflect the balance between the bacillus and host defense mechanisms, in which the quality of 6 host defense determines the outcome . The disease produced by tuberculous bacilli is characterized by 7 granulomas that typically undergo central necrosis . These caseating granulomas are the histological hallmarks of tuberculosis. The disease usually affects the lungs but may produce lesions in any organ or 8 tissue of human body . Dr. Nasir Aziz, Dr. Hamid Mahmood, Dr. Hashim Riaz, Dr. Zahid Mahmood, Dr. Akhtar Murad Qadir, Dr. Muhammad Munir, Dr. Muhammad Tayyab TUBERCULOUS PATIENTS; CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY OF BCG VACCINATION AND ANTIBODY TITRE IN HOUSE HOLD CONTACTS OF TUBERCULOUS PATIENTS ORIGINAL PROF-2218 Professional Med J 2013;20(5): 678-683. 678 www.theprofesional.com Aziz N, Mahmood H, Riaz H, Mahmood Z, Qadir AM, Munir M, Tayyab M. Cross sectional study of BCG vaccination and antibody titre in house hold contacts of tuberculous patients. Professional Med J 2013;20(5): 678-683. Article Citation ABSTRACT... Objective: This study was designed to analyze the BCG vaccination status and compare the immune globulins levels in the household contacts of tuberculous patients with non contacts of unexposed healthy peoples. Place: Gulab Devi Hospital, Post Graduate Medical Institute and Defense Housing Authority Lahore. Study design: Cross sectional study. Materials and Methods: Investigations like ESR were done and the sera of 200 persons included in the study were tested for anti tuberculous antibodies by ELISA. BCG vaccination present or absent and scars were positive or negative in both groups were included. Results: The combined serological positivity of the household contacts was 65.8% and for non-contacts was 34.1%. BCG scars were mostly absent in the household contacts as well as in non-contacts; But statistically IgG and IgA were present significantly by higher number in the household contacts as compared to non-contacts, where as no significant difference in the IgM levels. These immunoglobulins status were compared with BCG scars in both study and control groups. The results were analyzed by SPSS version 14. Conclusions: Household contacts of tuberculosis patients are more susceptible to tuberculosis as compared to the non-contacts, as shown by positive and negative status of antituberculous antibodies in the house hold contacts. More over BCG vaccination has no significant role in humoral evaluation.