Introduction:
The association of mannose-binding lectin gene (MBL2) polymorphisms with tuberculosis susceptibility was inconclusive. In this study, a meta-analysis of 22 case-control studies was carried out to assess the effect of MBL2 polymorphisms on tuberculosis risk.

Material and methods:
A search was performed in Embase, PubMed and Web of Science up to Sep 30, 2015. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were used to assess the association. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA 12.0 software.

Results:
rs1800451 was associated with a decreased tuberculosis risk in the allele model (C vs. A: OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.86–1.00, p = 0.050). In analyses stratified by ethnicity, rs7096206 (C/G: OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.10–1.57, p = 0.003; GG vs. GC + CC: OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56–0.85, p < 0.001) and A/O (O/A: OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.10–1.64, p = 0.004) were associated with tuberculosis risk in Asians, A/O (AA vs. AO + OO: OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.51–0.99, p = 0.041) and rs1800451 (AC vs. AA + CC: OR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.27–5.74, p = 0.010) were associated with tuberculosis risk in Americans, and rs1800451 (C/A: OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.99, p = 0.035) was associated with tuberculosis risk in Africans. Additionally, rs1800450 (B/A: OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.25–0.72, p = 0.001) was associated with tuberculosis risk in Europeans.

Conclusions:
The MBL2 rs1800451 polymorphism is associated with decreased TB risk in the general population, and A/O, rs7096206, rs1800450 and rs1800451 are likely to be associated with the risk for some specific ethnic groups.