The complexities of genetic susceptibility to tuberculosis revealed

Researchers working in Vietnam have identified a genetic variant that predisposes people to developing a lethal form of tuberculosis (TB), tuberculous meningitis, if they are infected with a strain of TB known as the Beijing strain. The work, described in a study published March 28th in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens, underlines the importance of studying both sides of the complex host-pathogen interaction and its role in susceptibility to disease.