The use of animal models to guide rational vaccine design.

Although there are several varieties of animal models of tuberculosis, the mouse and the guinea pig are by far the most validated and useful. These provide information about vaccine-induced protection, immunogenicity, toxicity, and immunopathological effects. There is still much to be learned, however, in terms of rational vaccine design, especially in the context of therapeutic or anti-latent vaccine formulations and animal models of these situations.