The evidence for a human genetic component in susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) is
incontrovertible. Quite apart from studies of rare disease events illustrating the importance of
key genes in humans and animals, TB at the population level is also influenced by the
genetics of the host. Heritability of disease concordance and immune responses to
mycobacterial antigens has been clearly shown, and ranges up to 71%. Linkage studies,
designed to identify major susceptibility genes in a disease, have produced a number of …