Tuberculosis (TB), one of the oldest known human diseases. is still is one of the major causes of mortality, since two million people die each year from this malady. TB has many manifestations, affecting bone, the central nervous system, and many other organ systems, but it is primarily a pulmonary disease that is initiated by the deposition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, contained in aerosol droplets, onto lung alveolar surfaces. From this point, the progression of the disease can have several outcomes, determined largely by the response of the host immune system. The efficacy of this response is affected by intrinsic factors such as the genetics of the immune system as well as extrinsic factors, e.g., insults to the immune system and the nutritional and physiological state of the host. In addition, the pathogen may play a role in disease progression since some M. tuberculosis strains are reportedly more virulent than others, as defined by increased transmissibility as well as being associated with higher morbidity and mortality in infected individuals. Despite the widespread use of an attenuated live vaccine and several antibiotics, there is more TB than ever before, requiring new vaccines and drugs and more specific and rapid diagnostics. Researchers are utilizing information obtained from the complete sequence of the M. tuberculosis genome and from new genetic and physiological methods to identify targets in M. tuberculosis that will aid in the development of these sorely needed antitubercular agents.

中文翻译：

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结核分枝杆菌的发病机理和毒力的分子决定因素。

结核病（TB），是最古老的人类疾病之一。仍然是造成死亡的主要原因之一，因为每年有200万人死于这种疾病。结核病有许多表现形式，影响骨骼，中枢神经系统和许多其他器官系统，但它主要是一种肺部疾病，是由包含在气溶胶液滴中的结核分枝杆菌沉积到肺泡表面引发的。从这一点来看，疾病的进展可以有几种结果，这在很大程度上取决于宿主免疫系统的反应。该反应的功效受到内在因素的影响，例如免疫系统的遗传学以及外在因素，例如对免疫系统的损害以及宿主的营养和生理状态。此外，由于据报道某些结核分枝杆菌菌株比其他结核分枝杆菌具有更高的毒性，因此可以确定病原体可能在疾病发展中发挥作用，这可以通过提高传播能力以及与感染个体的较高发病率和死亡率相关联来确定。尽管减毒活疫苗和几种抗生素得到广泛使用，但结核病比以往任何时候都更多，需要新的疫苗和药物以及更具体，更快速的诊断。研究人员正在利用从结核分枝杆菌基因组的完整序列以及新的遗传和生理方法获得的信息来鉴定结核分枝杆菌中的靶标，这些靶标将有助于开发这些急需的抗结核药。如通过增加的可传播性所定义的，以及与感染个体中较高的发病率和死亡率相关。尽管减毒活疫苗和几种抗生素的广泛使用，但结核病比以往任何时候都更多，需要新的疫苗和药物以及更具体，更快速的诊断。研究人员正在利用从结核分枝杆菌基因组的完整序列以及新的遗传和生理方法获得的信息来鉴定结核分枝杆菌中的靶标，这些靶标将有助于开发这些急需的抗结核药。如通过增加的可传播性所定义的，以及与感染个体中较高的发病率和死亡率相关。尽管减毒活疫苗和几种抗生素得到广泛使用，但结核病比以往任何时候都更多，需要新的疫苗和药物以及更具体，更快速的诊断。研究人员正在利用从结核分枝杆菌基因组的完整序列以及新的遗传和生理方法获得的信息来鉴定结核分枝杆菌中的靶标，这些靶标将有助于开发这些急需的抗结核药物。