Mycobacterium tuberculosis: just desserts for an ungrateful guest

Myobacterium tuberculosis is the most common infectious cause of death in the world, with up to one-third of the population infected. In industrial countries infection with M. tuberculosis and tuberculosis disease has been decreasing since the 19th century. Now, however, tuberculosis disease is on the increase again, with resistance of the bacillus to available drugs spreading rapidly. This resurgence can be seen from the ecological and evolutionary point of view, where human hosts are the niche of the tuberculosis bacillus.