ABSTRACT
Tuberculosis (‘consumption’) was the most common cause of death in Victorian England, but its prevalence fell markedly with the dramatic improvement in living standards during the twentieth century. However, the incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection world-wide (including Europe, UK and USA) is increasing, particularly among immigrants and in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related cases. Infection
with Mycobacterium tuberculosis usually occurs in the lungs, but may affect any organ, especially the lymph nodes, gut, meninges, bone, adrenal glands or urogenixtal tract. Other atypical (non-tuberculous) mycobacterial infections are less common, but are occurring with increasing frequency in HIV-1-infected individuals. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an intracellular organism, an obligate aerobe in keeping with its predilection for the well-ventilated apical segments of the lungs (Figure 44.1).
