Tuberculosis

This volume addresses two important aspects of tuberculosis. The first half reviews some of the biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology of M. tuberculosis and its interactions with macrophages. The second half deals with the interactions of the tubercle bacillus with the host immune system in experimental animals and humans, which may lead to the development of protective immunity or may produce immunopathologic reactions and tissue destruction. The special feature of this book is the in-depth nature of the various aspects of the bacterium and the host immune response to it.The reader will derive a better understanding of the tubercle bacillus and tuberculosis, and of the intricate interactions of the pathogen and the host which can lead either to protective immunity or to disease.