Standard Antituberculous Treatment Regimens Need Urgent Revision

Abstract

One-third of the world's population is currently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The risk of progression from infection to disease in immunosuppressant population particularly HIV infected is much higher. If left untreated, each person with active TB may infect 10 to 15 people every year, reinforcing the public health priority of controlling TB through adequate treatment. Patients with a previous history of TB treatment are a major concern for TB programs throughout the world because these patients are at a much higher risk of harboring TB that is resistant to the drugs most frequently used, resulting in poorer treatment outcomes and significant complications. More then 1 million people in over 90 countries need to be “re-treated†after failing, interrupting, or relapsing from previous TB treatment.