http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/ A blog about life, past and future. Written by DISCOVER contributing editor and columnist Carl Zimmer. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:52:02 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/comment-page-1/#comment-7681 素人 Sat, 03 Sep 2005 08:56:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/#comment-7681 素人最高！！ 素人最高！！

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/comment-page-1/#comment-7680 daen Thu, 01 Sep 2005 14:49:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/#comment-7680 Fascinating stuff, Carl. Do you have any similar information or ideas on the evolutionary history of the leprosy bacillus <i>M. leprae</i>, tuberculosis's close cousin? Fascinating stuff, Carl. Do you have any similar information or ideas on the evolutionary history of the leprosy bacillus M. leprae, tuberculosis’s close cousin?

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/comment-page-1/#comment-7679 Judith Price Thu, 25 Aug 2005 16:52:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/#comment-7679 Might the single strain of TB found worldwide relate to the idea that only a very few peole walked out of Africa to spread humans around the world? Maybe only one of the fellows around the campfire was sick when they left home? Might the single strain of TB found worldwide relate to the idea that only a very few peole walked out of Africa to spread humans around the world? Maybe only one of the fellows around the campfire was sick when they left home?

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/comment-page-1/#comment-7678 John S Bolton Mon, 22 Aug 2005 21:58:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/08/22/the-tubercular-hominid/#comment-7678 They also warn that the assumption of stability of today's TB bacteria is not to be taken for granted; escape mutants are possible. TB is a tropical disease today, and likely started out that way. In between, though, TB came to be known as the white plague, on account of its association with the cities of Europe. In the 19th century there existed even virulent forms which killed people in less than a year. Unless our drugs and public health measures exterminated those forms once and for all, including even the genetic capacity of the bacteria to regenerate such varieties, shouldn't it be assumed that it could happen again? With several billion people infected, the chance for mutation favoring the virulent and efficiently spreading form would seem to be high. Tropical adapted populations are not specialized towards resisting TB, but towards resisting parasites against which, immediate hypersensitivity is the efficient response. Theory says that it has to be one or the other; or, if not, then science could be challenged to, and find, one individual who combines very high natural immediate and delayed hypersensitivity. That is, such that he could be genetically uncommonly resistant to both malaria and TB. This could be the difference between northern and tropical adapted populations, which has kept, and keeps, them distinct genetically. They also warn that the assumption of stability of today’s TB bacteria is not to be taken for granted; escape mutants are possible. TB is a tropical disease today, and likely started out that way. In between, though, TB came to be known as the white plague, on account of its association with the cities of Europe. In the 19th century there existed even virulent forms which killed people in less than a year. Unless our drugs and public health measures exterminated those forms once and for all, including even the genetic capacity of the bacteria to regenerate such varieties, shouldn’t it be assumed that it could happen again? With several billion people infected, the chance for mutation favoring the virulent and efficiently spreading form would seem to be high. Tropical adapted populations are not specialized towards resisting TB, but towards resisting parasites against which, immediate hypersensitivity is the efficient response. Theory says that it has to be one or the other; or, if not, then science could be challenged to, and find, one individual who combines very high natural immediate and delayed hypersensitivity. That is, such that he could be genetically uncommonly resistant to both malaria and TB. This could be the difference between northern and tropical adapted populations, which has kept, and keeps, them distinct genetically.

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