Animal models of tuberculosis

Abstract

There is a wide range of animal models of tuberculosis; which is fortunate, given that there is a wide range of complex biological phenomena to model. Nonetheless, the inadequacy of animal models is a chronic grievance amongst researchers, often expressed in the conclusion that the mouse is not a good model of human tuberculosis. There clearly are major differences between experimental infection of mice and natural infection of humans, but this overarching dogma is inconducive to fruitful research. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.