Vaccines against tuberculosis: the impact of modern biotechnology.

Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis which worldwide afflicts approximately 50 million people with 3 million deaths and 10 million new cases per year. Immunity against M. tuberculosis is mediated by T lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes. Probably, interleukin secretion and target cell lysis contribute to protection. Although a vaccine is available, its efficacy, particularly in developing countries, remains a matter of controversy. Thus, strategies aimed at the development of a novel vaccine generation remain an important goal. These strategies comprise the identification of protective protein antigens and peptide epitopes, the construction of recombinant carrier systems, and the development of potent adjuvants.