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Genetic susceptibility to mycobacterial disease in humans
Author(s) -
Fernando Suran L,
Britton Warwick J
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1711.2006.01420.x
Subject(s) - leprosy , disease , tuberculosis , biology , genetic predisposition , mycobacterium , immunology , mycobacterium tuberculosis , gene , medicine , genetics , pathology
Mycobacterial disease remains a serious global health problem. Tuberculosis causes more than 2 million deaths a year, and leprosy is still a cause of severe disability in many parts of the world. As a result of the study of individuals with marked susceptibility to usually nonpathogenic mycobacteria, as well as case–control studies with candidate genes and genome‐wide screens of affected populations, there is substantial evidence for the role of genetic factors in the susceptibility to mycobacterial disease. These studies have defined immunological processes essential for the control of mycobacteria infections in humans.