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Nature Medicine 6, 977 - 978 (2000)
doi:10.1038/79670

Lipid biochemistry takes a stand against tuberculosis

Philip Draper1

  1. National Institute for Medical Research Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA UK
    e-mail:  pdraper@nimr.mrc.ac.uk


Although several excellent drugs are available to treat tuberculosis, their mechanisms are not well understood. Identification of the target of the tuberculosis drug pyrazinamide underscores the role that lipids play in disease pathogenesis, and reveals new avenues for drug design (pages 1043–1047).


Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is believed to kill between 2 and 3 million people each year. It commonly affects the lungs, and is fatal in about half of untreated patients.