Korean J Intern Med.  2016 Jan;31(1):15-29. 10.3904/kjim.2016.31.1.15.

Emerging strategies for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: promise and limitations?

• Yew WW
• Koh WJ

• KMID: 2373768
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2016.31.1.15

Abstract

A worsening scenario of drug-resistant tuberculosis has increased the need for new treatment strategies to tackle this worldwide emergency. There is a pressing need to simplify and shorten the current 6-month treatment regimen for drug-susceptible tuberculosis. Rifamycins and fluoroquinolones, as well as several new drugs, are potential candidates under evaluation. At the same time, treatment outcomes of patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis should be improved through optimizing the use of fluoroquinolones, repurposed agents and newly developed drugs. In this context, the safety and tolerance of new therapeutic approaches must be addressed.

Keyword

Tuberculosis; Drug resistance; Therapeutics

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antitubercular Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use
*Drug Discovery
*Drug Repositioning
Drug Resistance, Bacterial
Drug Therapy, Combination
Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis/drug therapy/microbiology
Humans
Lung/*drug effects/microbiology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/*drug effects/pathogenicity
Treatment Outcome
Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant/diagnosis/*drug therapy/microbiology
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis/*drug therapy/microbiology
Antitubercular Agents