title: [Tuberculosis].
abstract: Tuberculosis is still one of the most important infectious disease worldwide. In                     Germany the tuberculosis incidence has been declining for decades to currently                     about 4500 new cases per year. A new challenge poses the rising number                     tuberculosis cases with drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.                     Substantiell progress has been achieved in the diagnosis of tuberculosis with                     new molecular techniques that can lead to a much faster and more reliable                     identification of cases with acid-fast bacilli smear-negative tuberculosis and                     in the identification of drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. Tuberculosis                     caused by drug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis is difficult to treat with                     the currently available medications and is related to very high costs of care.                     New therapeutic approaches and drugs are urgently needed. Interferon-γ tests                     have made the diagnosis of latent infection with M. tuberculosis more specific,                     but hardly contribute to the diagnosis of active tuberculosis.This article presents a brief summary of current knowledge concerning the                     epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of active tuberculosis and                     latent infection with M. tuberculosis. Moreover, current treatment approaches                     and economic aspects of care are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Tuberkulosezentrum Borstel, Medizinische Klinik, Forschungszentrum Borstel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heyckendorf
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herzmann
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lange
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019468:Disease Management; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents