title: Tuberculosis in Africa: learning from pathogenesis for biomarker identification.
abstract: In Africa, more than 4 million people suffer from active tuberculosis (TB) resulting in an estimated 650,000 deaths every year. The etiologic agent of TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, survives in resting macrophages, which control the pathogen after activation by specific T lymphocytes. Here, we describe the basic mechanisms underlying the host response to TB with an emphasis on immunity and discuss diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines for TB. Moreover, we outline our attempts to develop biomarkers, which could help the monitoring of TB clinical trials, provide the basis for new diagnostics, and allow prognosis of outcome of infection and of drug treatment.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Department of Immunology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan H E
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Shreemanta K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Parida
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines