Tuberculosis bacteria find their ecological niche

Researchers at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and the University of Basel have isolated and analyzed genetically tuberculosis bacteria from several thousand patients from over a hundred countries. This analysis demonstrates that the tuberculosis bacteria vary in their ecological niche. Whereas the so-called generalists occur all around the world, the specialists are only found in certain geographical regions. This finding, published today in the renowned , could further complicate the development of novel tuberculosis vaccines. Tuberculosis (TB) has been a feared companion of humankind since prehistory. Various TB bacterial strains exist globally, with different geographical spread. Only the so-called Lineage 4 occurs on all continents.