Host defense and immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Pulmonary tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, currently accounting for over 8 million new infections and approximately 1.5 million deaths annually. Furthermore, there is a significant spread of drug-resistant organisms, and no broadly effective vaccine strategies are presently available. The continuing global epidemic of tuberculosis emphasizes the urgent need to improve our knowledge of host defense mechanisms and to develop effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of this devastating disease.

This Web Focus is a compilation of the most pertinent original research, commentaries, and review articles published in Mucosal Immunology over the past three years addressing the immunology of tuberculosis and efforts to develop novel vaccines. We hope that the articles will inspire novel thinking about this infection of world-wide significance.