New Diagnostics for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide with an estimated one third of the world’s population infected by Mtb resulting in about two million deaths per year (Lonnroth and Raviglione, 2008; Wallis et al., 2010). Developing countries are burdened with the highest levels of Mtb infections and conversely have the lowest financial resources available to improve this situation (Figures 1 and 2). High rates of infection are associated with poverty, low levels of public hygiene and often with a high prevalence of HIV+ individuals who are at particular risk of infection, all factors that contribute to an uncontrolled spread of Mtb infection (Corbett et al., 2006; Wright et al., 2009).