The complex evolution of antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

J D Fonseca; G M Knight; T D McHugh

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2015.01.014

The complex evolution of antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Int J Infect Dis. 2015 Mar:32:94-100. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2015.01.014.

Authors

J D Fonseca¹, G M Knight², T D McHugh³

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK. Electronic address: rebmjco@ucl.ac.uk.
² TB Modelling Group, TB Centre, Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
³ Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK.

PMID: 25809763
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2015.01.014

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) represent a major threat to the control of the disease worldwide. The mechanisms and pathways that result in the emergence and subsequent fixation of resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are not fully understood and recent studies suggest that they are much more complex than initially thought. In this review, we highlight the exciting new areas of research within TB resistance that are beginning to fill these gaps in our understanding, whilst also raising new questions and providing future directions.

Keywords: Drug resistance; Molecular mechanisms of resistance; Tuberculosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Biological Evolution
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial* / genetics
Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis / microbiology
Humans
Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects
Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / microbiology*