Variable host–pathogen compatibility in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Studies have reported human pathogens to have geographically structured population genetics, some of which have been linked to ancient human migrations. However, no study has addressed the potential evolutionary consequences of such longstanding human-pathogen associations. Here, we demonstrate that the global population structure of M. tuberculosis is defined by six phylogeographical lineages, each associated with specific, sympatric human populations. In an urban cosmopolitan environment, mycobacterial lineages were much more likely to spread in sympatric than in allopatric patient populations. Tuberculosis cases that did…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NF
  Novartis Foundation
• WT
  Wellcome Trust
• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
• NI
  National Institutes of Health