Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is soon countered by the host's immune system, the organism is however almost never eradicated; ten per cent of infections will develop into "open tuberculosis", while the other ninety per cent become "latent", a state that can persist for decades until loss of immune control. Approximately 25% of the world's population is estimated to harbour latent tuberculosis. Latent infection involves the bacterium being internalized by phagocytes where it stops and counters the innate immune answer (Russell 2011, Russell et al. 2010). When a status-quo is reached, Mtb enters a non-replicating persistent state (Barry et al. 2009, Boshoff & Barry 2005). Weakening of the immune defense sooner or later enables the waking up and multiplication of the bacterium inside the phagocyte, necrosis of the cell, and escape, analogous to the burst of lytic viruses (Repasy 2013).
Russell, DG
Kotton, DN, Repasy, T, Martinez, N, Hendricks, G, Kornfeld, H, Kirschner, DE, Marino, S, Wilson, AA, Baker, S, Lee, J
Flynn, J, Ehrt, S, Dartois, V, Dick, T, Wilkinson, RJ, Boshoff, HI, Barry CE, 3rd, Schnappinger, D, Young, D
Flynn, JL, Russell, DG, Barry CE, 3rd
Boshoff, HI, Barry CE, 3rd
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