| | | | | fatality. The bacterium is worldwide, but the strain in |
| Over the past few years, diseases like tuberculosis | | | | question is usually found only in Asia and in several |
| have made a comeback, seemingly with more force | | | | former Soviet countries. |
| behind them than ever before. Infection rates are | | | | TLR2 has been linked to the immune system by a |
| slowly rising, and while they may not be much of a | | | | number of studies in the past, though the actual role |
| problem now, they could become virtually | | | | it plays has never been fully discerned. It appears to |
| unstoppable once they hit the general public. This all | | | | be important for recognizing and initiating defensive |
| comes down to the fact that the medications human | | | | immune responses to tuberculosis bacteria, judging by |
| civilization has used to fight the infections, antibiotics, | | | | what is known and the results whenever a mutated |
| might no longer work. As more and more microbes | | | | TLR2 gene is encountered. The research team took |
| are exposed to these drugs, the higher the chances | | | | samples from over 187 patients who suffered the |
| of even just one of them developing a resistance | | | | tuberculosis meningitis strain, while a larger sample of |
| and spreading that resistance to other microbes. The | | | | 236 was taken from those who were infected by |
| looming possibility that this antibiotic resistance might | | | | the more common pulmonary strain of the disease. |
| spread further is a major concern, but recent findings | | | | The patient samples were analyzed to check if they |
| show that there may be another cause for concern: | | | | carried the mutated TLR2 variation. The results |
| human genetics. As if antibiotic resistance – and | | | | showed that the link was strong for both variants, |
| how easily it can spread from one strain of bacteria | | | | but was significantly stronger with those who had |
| to another – wasn’t enough. | | | | come into contact with the Beijing strain of the |
| A strain of tuberculosis meningitis bacteria that | | | | bacteria. |
| originated in Beijing, China could kill people who carry | | | | An estimated one-third of the global population is |
| a specific genetic defect in their bodies. The strain in | | | | infected with one strain of tuberculosis or another, |
| question is known to have antibiotic resistance | | | | and the infection rate is estimated to be one |
| towards the more common antimicrobial agents, but | | | | infection for every second. It is notable that only one |
| reports indicate that more unconventional agents can | | | | in every ten infected individuals will display any |
| help patients recover. The condition is generally fatal | | | | symptoms, and this is usually because their immune |
| in one out of every three cases, even if the patient | | | | systems have already been compromised or are |
| has access to top-notch medical care facilities and | | | | naturally weak. Untreated, the condition can kill an |
| services. The gene in question, known as TLR2, is by | | | | estimated 2 million people annually. In recent years, |
| itself not considered a major risk factor for infection | | | | the infection rate has been stable, but the number of |
| and death by the Beijing strain. However, research | | | | deaths has increased – largely due to the slow |
| indicates that there is a mutation for this gene that, | | | | increase of resistant strains finding their way to the |
| when combined with an infection of the Beijing | | | | general population. |
| tuberculosis strain, can result in a near-guaranteed | | | | |