Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major threats to human health worldwide. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) latent infection is a major source of tuberculosis infection. Early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment of latent infection are the important measures to effectively control the spread of TB. Currently, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis latent infection-associated antigens include hypoxia, nutritional deficiencies and proteins related to resuscitation and reactivation. Some latent infection-associated antigens have the ability of T-cell-mediated immunity, especially more vulnerable to be recognized by latent infection populations, are expected to become a new type of Mtb latent infection diagnostic marker and vaccine candidates; some latent infection-associated antigens have strong B lymphocytes immunogenicity, are expected to have potential diagnostic value in tuberculosis diagnosis. These latent infection-associated proteins have good prospects on latent tuberculosis vaccines and diagnostic reagents in the future.

Key words: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bacterial proteins, Chaperonins, Antigens, bacterial, Phosphofructokinases