Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and it represents a persistent public health threat for a number of complex biological and sociological reasons. According to the most recent Global Tuberculosis Report (2019) edited by the World Health Organization (WHO), TB is considered the ninth cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of mortality by a single infectious agent, with the highest rate of infections and death toll rate mostly concentrated in developing and low-income countries. We present here the editorial section to the Special Issue entitled “Mycobacterium tuberculosis Pathogenesis, Infection Prevention and Treatment” that includes 7 research articles and a review. The scientific contributions included in the Special Issue mainly focus on the characterization of MTB strains emerging in TB endemic countries as well as on multiple mechanisms adopted by the bacteria to resist and to adapt to antitubercular therapies.

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death globally, particularly among children and young adults. The spread of new pathogens and the threat of antimicrobial resistance pose particular challenges in combating these diseases. Major Infectious Diseases identifies feasible, cost-effective packages of interventions and strategies across delivery platforms to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, malaria, adult febrile illness, viral hepatitis, and neglected tropical diseases. The volume emphasizes the need to effectively address emerging antimicrobial resistance, strengthen health systems, and increase access to care. The attainable goals are to reduce incidence, develop innovative approaches, and optimize existing tools in resource-constrained settings.

This work contains updated and clinically relevant information about tuberculosis. It is aimed at providing a succinct overview of history and disease epidemiology, clinical presentation and the most recent scientific developments in the field of tuberculosis research, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment. It may serve as a practical resource for students, clinicians and researchers who work in the field of infectious diseases.

Until about 10 years ago, the general view in the field was that Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of human tuberculosis was a “clone” with insufficient natural sequence variation between clinical strains to be considered biologically and epidemiologically “relevant”. This view has now changed quite dramatically thanks to the –omics revolution, particularly the advent of next generation DNA sequencing. Large-scale comparative genomic studies over the last few years have revealed that M. tuberculosis clinical strains are more genetically diverse than appreciated previously. Moreover, an increasing number of experimental and epidemiological studies are showing that this genetic diversity also translates into important phenotypic variation. Taken together, these findings have led to a paradigm shift, such that currently phylogenetic diversity among M. tuberculosis clinical strains is being considered in the development of new tools to combat tuberculosis. The purpose of this book is to bring together a series of contributions from some of the most influential groups working on various aspects of M. tuberculosis diversity, and which through their work have contributed to the this paradigm shift. This includes authors focusing on the evolution of M. tuberculosis in relation to other members of the M. tuberculosis complex adapted to animals, the co-evolution between M. tuberculosis and humans, the phenotypic consequences of strains diversity both from an experimental and epidemiological point of view, the ecology and evolution of drug resistant tuberculosis, the diversity and evolution of the BCG vaccine strains, and the use of mathematical modelling to study strain diversity and drug resistance in human tuberculosis. No such book has ever been published, and given the paradigm shift described above, this book will be a valuable resource both for established researchers as well as new scientists, clinicians and public health officials joining the growing field of tuberculosis research.

The aim of this book is to provide detailed protocols for studying the molecular biology of the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and its int- actions with host cells. As established mycobacterial laboratories move - wards exploiting the genome, and laboratories with expertise in other fields apply them to mycobacteria, both traditional and novel methodologies need to be reviewed. Thus the chapters in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Protocols range from perspectives on storage of strains and safety issues to the application of the latest functional genomics technologies. The last few years have been remarkable ones for research into M. tuber- losis. The most important landmark by far has been the completion of the genome sequence of the widely studied H37Rv strain (1). We can now predict every protein and RNA molecule made by the pathogen. This information is or will soon be enriched by the addition of genome sequences of other strains from the M. tuberculosis complex: a second strain of M. tuberculosis, My- bacterium bovis, and the vaccine strain, M. bovis BCG. Valuable comparative data will also be provided by the genome sequences of Mycobacterium leprae, Mycobacterium avium, and Streptomyces coelicolor. Another recent milestone for M. tuberculosis has been the development of efficient mutagenesis me- odologies, the lack of which has been a major handicap in functional studies.

Before effective treatments were introduced in the 1950s, tuberculosis was a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Health care workers were at particular risk. Although the occupational risk of tuberculosis has been declining in recent years, this new book from the Institute of Medicine concludes that vigilance in tuberculosis control is still needed in workplaces and communities. Tuberculosis in the Workplace reviews evidence about the effectiveness of control measuresâ€"such as those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionâ€"intended to prevent transmission of tuberculosis in health care and other workplaces. It discusses whether proposed regulations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would likely increase or sustain compliance with effective control measures and would allow adequate flexibility to adapt measures to the degree of risk facing workers.

Zoonotic Tuberculosis: Mycobacterium bovis and OtherPathogenic Mycobacteria, Third Edition is a comprehensivereview of the state of the art in the control and elimination ofinfections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex inanimals and humans. This update to the most complete and currentreference available on Mycobacterium bovis includes newcoverage of the latest molecular techniques; more information onhuman infection and One Health; updates to the information on theInternational Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD),the World Health Organization (WHO), Pan American HealthOrganization (PAHO), and the United States Department ofAgriculture’s (USDA) National Tuberculosis EradicationProgram; and coverage of additional African countries. TheThird Edition upholds the book’s reputation as a truly globalresource on M. bovis. Written by an international list of tuberculosis experts,chapters cover the status of tuberculosis in many regionsthroughout the world and deal with issues related to the detection,spread, and control of Mycobacterium bovis, as well as theeconomic impact of outbreaks. Zoonotic Tuberculosis:Mycobacterium bovis and Other Pathogenic Mycobacteria offersvaluable information for public health officials, medical doctors,state and federal regulatory veterinarians, veterinarypractitioners, and animal caretakers.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the most notorious pathogens on earth, causing the death of approximately 1.5 million people annually. A major problem in the fight against tuberculosis is the emergence of strains that have acquired resistance to all available antibiotics. One key to the success of M. tuberculosis as a pathogen is its ability to circumvent host immune responses at different levels. This is not only a result of the special makeup of M. tuberculosis in terms of genetic diversity and DNA metabolism and its possession of specialized secretion systems, but also of its ability to hijack the host’s innate immune defence mechanisms. In this volume, researchers from different disciplines provide a topical overview of the diverse mechanisms that contribute to the virulence of M. tuberculosis, ranging from their genetic, metabolic and molecular makeup, as well as the complex strategies these bacteria utilize to escape immune destruction within infected hosts.