title: Tuberculosis: An Infection-Initiated Autoimmune Disease?
abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and provided original proof that an infectious agent can cause human disease. However, key steps in TB pathogenesis remain poorly understood. We propose that autoimmunity is a critical and overlooked process driving pathology in TB, and present clinical and experimental observations supporting this hypothesis.
authors: NIHR Southampton Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. Electronic address: p.elkington@soton.ac.uk.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Elkington
authors: NIHR Southampton Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Tebruegge
authors: NIHR Southampton Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors: Salah
authors: S
authors: Mansour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D017053:Infection Control; D051379:Mice; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission
keywords: CD1; autoimmunity; host immune response; pathology; tuberculosis