Molecular epidemiology and the new tuberculosis

DNA fingerprinting techniques now exist which identify specific strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. These techniques may be integrated with conventional epidemiologic approaches to better understand tuberculosis in its modern form. This paper reviews the lessons learned from this approach about the pathogenesis and epidemiology of tuberculosis. In addition, it speculates about the potential future applications of molecular epidemiology, including its use as an adjunct to conventional public health measures.