As we age we become more susceptible to develop TB or die from TB, either after a primary infection with M.tb or after reactivation of a previously latent infection with M.tb. We also develop increased systemic and tissue inflammation, including in the lung. Working with a highly collaborative team through NIH P01 funding, The Turner laboratory has linked inflammation and aging (inflammaging) to an increased susceptibility to develop TB in old mice, likely via changes to T cells and innate cells, and changes in metabolism (mitochondrial function). The impact of increasing age on T cell function has also been demonstrated using tuberculin skin testing and lung cell lavages from non-human primates.
