Year: 2004
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: In the 5 years that have elapsed since the second edition of this book, extraordinary and encouraging advances have been made in the field of mycobacteriology. This updated and revised chapter is thus written with the advantage of the whole genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis [1] and the recent completion of the human genome project [2]. Novel analytic techniques now permit comparison of the entire genome, transcriptome, and proteome of bacilli from varying sources grown under differing conditions [3-5]. The difficulties of achieving genetic recombination in M. tuberculosis have been overcome. The emphasis now has shifted rapidly from the purely microbiological characterization of recombinant strains to their cellular microbiological characterization in model systems [6-8] and use of such strains as potential vaccines [9]. Tuberculosis was among the first diseases to be shown to be potentially preventable by DNA vaccination [10,11]: subsequent research has also revived interest in the potential for therapeutic vaccination [12]. The analysis of novel rare immunodeficiencies predisposing to mycobacterial infection has greatly clarified human immune resistance to M. tuberculosis [13-16]. Lastly, and of greatest clinical significance, the evolution of highly active multidrug regimes to treat HIV infection is potentially of major significance to the 8% of tuberculosis patients co-infected with this virus and to countless millions of other HIV-infected persons who have latent tuberculosis infection.
Source: CRC Press eBooks
Authors: Robert J. Wilkinson, Douglas B. Young
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4240558899