title: The case for hypervirulence through gene deletion in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
abstract: Deletion of genes in a pathogen is commonly associated with a reduction in its ability to cause disease. However, some rare cases have been described in the literature whereby deletion of a gene results in an increase in virulence. Recently, there have been several reports of hypervirulence resulting from gene deletion in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here, we explore this phenomenon in the context of the interaction between the pathogen and the host response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, NW1 0TU, UK.
authors.forename: Annemieke M C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: ten Bokum
authors.forename: Farahnaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Movahedzadeh
authors.forename: Rosangela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frita
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Bancroft
authors.forename: Neil G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Stoker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins