Focus on Tuberculosis Research

Tuberculosis, the disease that the World Health Organisation has recently declared a global emergency, was supposedly defeated by antibiotics half a century ago. It has returned in a highly contagious and fatal new form that cannot be treated with conventional drugs. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), could cause some 10 million deaths over the next decade and is thriving in the overcrowded prisons of the former Soviet Union. The virtual collapse of the world’s borders means that refugees, tourists, immigrants, business travellers, and others can spread the TB bacillus very efficiently. London, for example, has experienced a 100% increase in reported cases in the past 10 years. This new book covers all aspects of the disease: epidemiology, microbiology, diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention. Leading research is presented from centres around the world.