DESKRIPSI
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a highly successful human pathogen that infects approximately one-third of the world's population and causes an estimated 9 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths each year [1]. However, our understanding of the immunological factors contributing to this success remains incomplete. While most infected individuals develop partially protective pathogen-specific immune responses that keep them disease-free for life, in some individuals, disease due to reactivation can occur even without apparent defects in immune function. In fact, it is precisely in these cases, where cellular immune responses are unimpaired, that lung destruction can be most severe, TB transmission can be most problematic, and achieving a relapse-free cure can be most challenging. This chapter will explore aspects of the human immune response to M. tuberculosis and how they relate to TB pathogenesis, protection, and treatment.
