A Detailed Overview of Tuberculosis Vaccine Treatment Approaches
Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s most persistent infectious diseases, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and spread primarily through airborne droplets. Despite being preventable and treatable, tuberculosis continues to challenge global health systems due to drug resistance, co-infections, and socioeconomic factors.
Vaccine-based strategies are central to global prevention efforts, with research focusing on new-generation vaccines and improved therapeutic approaches.
The Role of BCG and Its Limitations
The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine, introduced over a century ago, is the most widely used tuberculosis vaccine. It offers strong protection for children against severe forms of the disease, such as miliary TB and TB meningitis. However, its effectiveness against adult pulmonary TB—the most contagious form—varies significantly across populations. This inconsistency is influenced by environmental mycobacteria exposure, genetic differences, and varying immune responses.
Due to these limitations, scientists are working to develop more reliable vaccines capable of preventing infection, halting progression from latent to active disease,…
