Host Immune Factors Related to Susceptibility to Tuberculosis in Animal Models

Tuberculosis (TB) along with AIDS and malaria constitute the three most deadly infectious diseases faced by all human kinds. Recent advances in diagnosis, drugs and vaccines as well as other TB related researches have shed light on the development of new strategies for prevention, treatment and control of the disease. Among those studies, improved understanding of the interplay between the bacterium and host is critical. The final outcome of bacterial infection is determined by multiple factors such as bacterial virulence factors, host susceptibility factors, the interplay between pathogen and host immunity. The importance of host genetic factors to the susceptibility of TB has long been realized and extensively studied in both human and animal models over the past decade. This review is intended to summarize the recent progress in studies of host immune factors related to TB susceptibility identified from animal models.