The Biology of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) still poses a major threat to mankind and during the last thirty years we have seen a recrudescence of the disease even in countries where TB was thought to be conquered. It is common opinion that more effective control tools such as new diagnostics, a new vaccine and new drugs are urgently needed to control the global pandemic, though the so far insufficient understanding of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) mechanism of pathogenesis is a major obstacle for the development of these control tools. In this review, we will summarize the recent advancement in the understanding of Mtb biology and on the pathogenesis of Mtb infection with emphasis on latent infection, with the change in paradigm of the last few years where the dichotomy between latent and active disease has been reconsidered in favor of a dynamic equilibrium between the host and the bacilli, encompassing a continuous spectrum of conditions that has been named TB spectrum. Implications for the diagnosis and control of disease in certain population will also be discussed.

Detection of latent tuberculosis infection among migrant farmworkers along the US-Mexico border

“…Border populations are at an increased risk of prolonged infectiousness, inadequate access to TB treatment, and multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis [7–9]. Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli can lead to latent tuberculosis (LTBI), in which the a patient is asymptomatic of disease [10]. Patients with LTBI are not contagious.…”

Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from culture-negative pulmonary and extra-pulmonary samples in cases of suspected tuberculosis

“…In some areas, e.g., some parts of Africa, TB is caused by Mycobacterium africanum [1]. The lack of an effective vaccine and antibiotic resistance to M. tuberculosis has led to an increase in the cost of treatment for patients with TB [1], [2]. …”

Screening antimycobacterial activity of Baccharis dracunculifolia, Centella asiatica, Lantana camara and Pterodon emarginatus

“…Thus the possibility of failure is high and it contributes to the appearance of mutant drug-resistant strains. (BrownElliot et al, 2012;Delogu et al, 2013).…”