Three Human Gene Variants Appear to Influence TB Susceptibility

A news release from the HSPH describes how three variations of a human gene appear to impact human tuberculosis susceptibility, providing insight into why some patients infected with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogen develop the full-blown disease and others do not. A joint team between Harvard and Oxford Universities note that approximately one-third of the world's population is thought to be infected with the M. tuberculosis pathogen, yet only about 10 percent becomes ill with the active disease.