Authors: Ben Amor, Y.¹; Day, M.S.²; Schluger, N.W.³

Source: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 14, Number 5, May 2010 , pp. 525-527(3)

Publisher: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Abstract:

Multidrug-resistant and extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis strains threaten to become an intractable problem. Misuse of antibiotics and inadequacy of diagnostic tools have fostered drug resistance. Effective diagnostic technology would eliminate this problem, but it remains unavailable in high-burden areas. New drugs with novel targets may help combat drug resistance. However, if added singly to existing combination regimens, resistance will increase. To protect the efficacy of a new drug, it should first be used only as a second-line drug, in cases that have undergone drug susceptibility testing. Widespread use of new drugs as first-line agents would follow with the dawn of a new rapid diagnostic era.

Keywords: MDR-TB; XDR-TB; drug development

Document Type: Invited paper

Affiliations: 1: Millennium Villages Project, The Earth Institute at Columbia University, New York, New York, USA 2: Weill Cornell Medical College, Department of Medicine, New York, New York, USA 3: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA

Publication date: 2010-05-01

More about this publication?

• The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease publishes articles on all aspects of lung health, including public health-related issues such as training programmes, cost-benefit analysis, legislation, epidemiology, intervention studies and health systems research. The IJTLD is dedicated to the continuing education of physicians and health personnel and the dissemination of information on tuberculosis and lung health world-wide.

  Certain IJTLD articles are selected for translation into French, Spanish, Chinese or Russian. They are available on the Union website

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