Mycobacteria-derived biomarkers for tuberculosis diagnosis

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an escalating problem worldwide. The current diagnostic methods do not always guarantee reliable diagnosis. TB treatment is a time-consuming process that requires the use of several chemotherapeutics, to which mycobacteria are becoming increasingly resistant. This article focuses on the potential utility of biomarkers of mycobacterial origin with potential implications for TB diagnosis. Properly standardized indicators could become new diagnostic tools, improving and streamlining the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and the implementation of appropriate therapy. These markers can also potentially provide a quick confirmation of effectiveness of new anti-mycobacterial drugs and TB vaccines, leading to a possible application in practice.