About this Research Topic
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a contagious and airborne bacterial pathogen. It causes tuberculosis (TB) that is one of the leading infectious diseases worldwide. It is estimated that Mtb latently infects one third of the world’s population and accounts for ~2 million of death worldwide each year. Over the past decades, while many efforts have been made to reduce the global TB burden, TB has remained as one of the major threats to public health. Mtb invades human by air and establishes infection in lung by using a large number of different virulence factors as its defense mechanisms against the host immune responses. Unfortunately, however, the mechanisms of Mtb virulence are largely unknown, and emergence of multidrug resistant Mtb strains and co-infection of Mtb with HIV has posed new challenges in TB control. There is an urgent need to enhance our understanding of Mtb pathogenesis and develop novel and effective countermeasures against the disease.
In this Research Topic, we plan to highlight the most recent advances in understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of Mtb virulence. The Research Topic includes, but not limited to: identification and characterization of new virulence genes/factors, studies of structural and functional aspects of virulence factors, elucidation of the roles of virulence factors in TB pathogenesis, host-pathogen interaction, development and utilization of new methods, technologies, model organisms to investigate TB virulence. All other relevant research areas will also be considered as long as it is in line with the main focus of the issue. We expect this project will greatly enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of Mtb virulence and have a significant impact on TB research.
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 15, 2017
Full Article Submission Deadline: Oct 15, 2017
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be in line with the scope of the specialty and field to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Manuscripts discovered during any stage of peer review to be outside of the scope may be transferred to a suitable section or field, or withdrawn from review.
In this Research Topic, we plan to highlight the most recent advances in understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of Mtb virulence. The Research Topic includes, but not limited to: identification and characterization of new virulence genes/factors, studies of structural and functional aspects of virulence factors, elucidation of the roles of virulence factors in TB pathogenesis, host-pathogen interaction, development and utilization of new methods, technologies, model organisms to investigate TB virulence. All other relevant research areas will also be considered as long as it is in line with the main focus of the issue. We expect this project will greatly enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of Mtb virulence and have a significant impact on TB research.
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 15, 2017
Full Article Submission Deadline: Oct 15, 2017
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be in line with the scope of the specialty and field to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Manuscripts discovered during any stage of peer review to be outside of the scope may be transferred to a suitable section or field, or withdrawn from review.
Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Virulence, Pathogenesis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
