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In vivo veritas: the search for TB drug targets goes live

J D McKinney1

  • 1The Rockefeller University, Laboratory of Infection Biology, New York, NY 10021, USA. mckinney@rockefeller.edu

Nature Medicine
|December 2, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Microbial persistence explains how drug-susceptible microbes survive inside the body despite treatment. This phenomenon hinders the complete eradication of infections from individuals and communities.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Microbial persistence is a critical challenge in infectious disease treatment.
  • It describes the survival of drug-susceptible microorganisms within a host despite antimicrobial therapy.
  • This phenomenon contributes to persistent infections, carrier states, and treatment failures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define and explain the concept of microbial persistence.
  • To highlight its clinical implications in terms of carrier states and relapse.
  • To underscore its role in the failure to eradicate infections.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of existing clinical observations.
  • Review of the definition and implications of microbial persistence.
  • Synthesis of information regarding drug-susceptible microbial survival in vivo.

Main Results:

  • Microbial persistence is defined as the survival of drug-susceptible microbes within the body during therapy.
  • This survival is linked to clinical outcomes such as the carrier state and post-treatment relapse.
  • It represents a fundamental barrier to eradicating infections.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial persistence is a key factor limiting the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs.
  • Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for developing strategies to overcome treatment failures.
  • It highlights the complexity of microbial-host interactions in infectious diseases.

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