Abstract
Mycobacteria have been associated with human and animal disease for millennia. This book is founded on a principle of cross-disciplinary inclusion and the belief that by bringing together all members of the mycobacterial research community we could achieve a better understanding of mycobacteria and the diseases caused by them, and thus contribute to knowledge and the development of products to improve global health. It is based on a series of workshops, held since 2007, which have fostered an interdisciplinary approach and unique collaborations that benefit multiple scientific communities. The sharing of ideas and results across disciplines has allowed for enhancement of research in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. leprae and other non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Most of all, it has increased the knowledge of researchers who are developing vaccines, diagnostics and drugs to prevent, diagnose and treat some of the oldest pathogens of man. By bringing together a multidisciplinary team of leading scientists studying mycobacterial infections in humans and animals, the workshops have created a venue for sharing knowledge about the spectrum of mycobacterial diseases, exploring host-pathogen variability, and understanding what the commonalities and differences in disease presentation and host specificity teach us. The book is divided into six parts that discuss tuberculosis in humans; tuberculosis in domesticated and companion animal species; mycobacterial infections in zoo species; tuberculosis in wildlife; in vivo laboratory models of tuberculosis; and other mycobacterial diseases. This book serves to share the lessons learned from these workshops not only within the mycobacterial community, but also to a wider audience, as this approach may benefit other fields of research.