Rachel Jones discusses a recent WHO report on multidrug resistant TB

A new report recently issued by the WHO (1) reports a growing global trend in multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). This trend is focused in India and China which are responsible for up to half of all global cases. (1) MDR-TB is defined as tuberculosis resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin, two first line drug therapies for TB. With this in mind, there are fewer therapies that are effective for treating multidrug resistant tuberculosis and these are not as effective as first line treatments. MDR-TB therefore carries higher mortality and morbidity rates than conventional strains. (more…)

 Farah Apoo compares the management of TB in these two countries

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most infectious disease worldwide despite the availability of effective vaccines and drugs treatments. In 2005, WHO estimated the number of notifications was still increasing globally especially in South-east Asia and Africa. (1) The slow progress in TB control transpires from inadequate and poorly managed TB treatment. The long duration of treatment, use of multiple drugs with adverse effects and non-compliance all further complicate the management of TB in patients.

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Sarah Walpole discusses the controversial DOT-Directly Observed Therapy

Tuberculosis is the most prevalent infectious disease worldwide. Due to its highly infectious nature, effective treatment is crucial to prevent the spread of tuberculosis. Ensuring a substantial reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis requires treatment success rates of at least 70-85%, (1) as an infected individual may pass the disease on to between 10 and 15 people per year if they are not treated. (2)

The standard recommended regimen for treatment of patients with tuberculosis is an intensive two-month phase of treatment with rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol, followed by four months of treatment with rifampicin and isoniazid only. (3) For this treatment to be effective, it not only requires the correct drugs to be available and accessible to the patient, but it also requires the patient to accept the medication. (more…)

  Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that has been a scourge of humanity from at least the time of the ancient Egyptians. The agent of human TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, was identified 125 years ago and effective therapy introduced over half a century ago, which many believed would eradicate the disease - at least among the wealthy. However, for multiple reasons (see bullet points below), cases have risen globally since the World Health Organisation declared it a Global Emergency in 1993. (more…)