TY - JOUR
T1 - On the nature of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-latent bacilli
AU - Cardona, P. J.
AU - Ruiz-Manzano, J.
PY - 2004/12
Y1 - 2004/12
N2 - Mycobacterium tuberculosis-latent bacilli are microorganisms that adapt to stressful conditions generated by the infected host against them. By slowing metabolism or becoming dormant, they may counterbalance these conditions and appear as silent to the immune system. Moreover, the dynamic turnover of the infected cells provokes a constant reactivation of the latent bacilli when the environmental conditions are favourable, or an activation after being dormant in necrotic and fibrotic lesions for a long period of time. Since there is no in vivo nor in vitro evidence for quick resuscitation of dormant bacilli, the current authors strongly favour the possibility that latent tuberculosis infection can be maintained for no longer than ∼10 yrs, which is, nowadays, a time period very close to that considered for "primary" tuberculosis. This concept may also be helpful for newer epidemiological considerations regarding the real impact of reinfection in tuberculosis.
AB - Mycobacterium tuberculosis-latent bacilli are microorganisms that adapt to stressful conditions generated by the infected host against them. By slowing metabolism or becoming dormant, they may counterbalance these conditions and appear as silent to the immune system. Moreover, the dynamic turnover of the infected cells provokes a constant reactivation of the latent bacilli when the environmental conditions are favourable, or an activation after being dormant in necrotic and fibrotic lesions for a long period of time. Since there is no in vivo nor in vitro evidence for quick resuscitation of dormant bacilli, the current authors strongly favour the possibility that latent tuberculosis infection can be maintained for no longer than ∼10 yrs, which is, nowadays, a time period very close to that considered for "primary" tuberculosis. This concept may also be helpful for newer epidemiological considerations regarding the real impact of reinfection in tuberculosis.
KW - Animal model
KW - Mycobacterium tuberculosis
KW - Pathogenesis
KW - Tuberculosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=10444253957&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1183/09031936.04.00072604
DO - 10.1183/09031936.04.00072604
M3 - Article
C2 - 15572551
AN - SCOPUS:10444253957
SN - 0903-1936
VL - 24
SP - 1044
EP - 1051
JO - European Respiratory Journal
JF - European Respiratory Journal
IS - 6
ER -