Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

TB epidemiology and human genetics.

Paul D van Helden1, Marlo Möller, Chantal Babb

  • 1Department of Medical Biochemistry, (US/MRC) Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, PO Box 19063, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa.

Novartis Foundation Symposium
|February 7, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Most tuberculosis infections do not progress to active disease due to innate resistance. Environmental factors and host genetics significantly influence tuberculosis susceptibility and disease progression.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Diagnostic accuracy of CRP and myeloperoxidase as a 2-marker biosignature for the diagnosis of symptomatic TB.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Integration of functional immunomonitoring assays with PET/CT scans in TB patients identifies on-treatment biomarkers.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Risk of progression to pulmonary tuberculosis among household contacts with chest radiographic abnormalities in South Africa.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

Proteome of Bronchial Alveolar Lavage fluid and Serum from Tuberculosis patients during drug treatment.

Scientific data·2026
Same author

Performance of Human and Computer-aided Evaluation of Digital Chest Radiography for Community-based Screening of Asymptomatic Tuberculosis.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

The Global Epidemiology of Tuberculosis: Burden, Trends, and Determinants.

Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine·2026

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Tuberculosis (TB) infection progresses to active disease in fewer than 10% of individuals, suggesting a strong role for host resistance.
  • Current interventions like BCG vaccination and prior TB exposure offer unreliable protection in high-burden regions, highlighting the need to understand natural defense mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the factors contributing to innate resistance against tuberculosis.
  • To investigate the influence of environmental factors and host genetics on TB susceptibility and disease course.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on innate immunity and TB.
  • Analysis of environmental factors (bacterial variability, diet, smoking, helminths, hormones) and their impact on TB.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Discussion of host genetic factors involved in TB resistance and susceptibility.

    • Main Results:

    • Innate resistance, rather than adaptive immunity, appears to be the primary defense against tuberculosis progression.
    • Environmental modulators and specific host genes play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility or resistance to TB.

    Conclusions:

    • Understanding innate resistance mechanisms is critical for developing effective TB control strategies.
    • Identifying novel host genes could unlock new therapeutic targets for tuberculosis.