TB Defense Flaws

Tuberculosis, which still kills over 2 million people a year, is an infection which strikes horror into the heart of anyone who knows anything about infections. The disease is almost impossible for the body to fight back against and scientists now know why. The bacteria attacks immune cells in the body, preventing infection. Instead of infecting any cell it can, TB attacks immune cells first, destroying the body's defenses, and then moves on to other types of tissues. It's able to convince our body that it isn't there by killing any cells which identify it as a threat and adapting itself to avoid future detection. The infection is still quite deadly, but this discovery may help lead to future vaccines or cures for the infected.