Delivery systems for tuberculosis prevention and therapy

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s most serious infectious diseases caused by a single micro-organism. Despite the development of a vaccine almost a century ago, and with the advent of drug treatment in the intervening period, we appear to be no closer to eradicating this disease.

Although drug therapy is available, it remains cumbersome and difficult to administer, particularly in areas of the developing world where TB is most prevalent. Moreover, the challenges posed by multiple- and extensively drug-resistant disease and co-infection with human immuno-deficiency virus has made management of infection far more difficult. New approaches to treatment and prevention could have an enormous impact on the disease.

This volume is arranged to consider the nature of disease, immunological responses, vaccine and drug delivery, disposition and response. In addition to conventional treatments some novel approaches are presented that, if successful, would create rapid development pathways. The contributors are drawn from the relevant fields of microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, and chemical and mechanical engineering.