title: [Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its host].
abstract: Human beings are the only hosts of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Owing to a peculiar architecture and composition of the cell wall, M. tuberculosis presents characteristic properties (acid fastness, high hydrophobicity). Molecules, proteins and polysaccharides, present on the cell surface play a key role in the rapid bacterial phagocytosis by macrophages. M. tuberculosis is able to inhibit the intracellular bactericidal mechanisms. Potent thymodependent immune responses control bactericial growth through inflammatory reactions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des mycobactéries Institut Pasteur 75724 Paris. vvincent@pasteur.fr
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchal
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000502:physiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology