Genetic susceptibility to tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis, caused by the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), affects an estimated 8 million people annually, resulting in approximately 2 million deaths. Human genetic variability is an important modulator of tuberculosis susceptibility. This review will discuss candidate susceptibility genes that have been implicated in tuberculosis susceptibility across various ethnic groups and epidemiological settings. Evaluating the genetic variants of tuberculosis susceptibility genes will provide us with a better understanding of the disease mechanisms in tuberculosis. Ultimately, such genetic studies may lead to the development of effective alternative treatments to cope with the growing problem of tuberculosis infections due to the AIDS pandemic, the emergence of multidrug resistant M. tuberculosis, and the limited efficacy of Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) vaccination.