Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis accounted for approximately half a million new cases each year. Treatment for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) is a dynamic area. DR-TB treatment, although decreasing in duration, continues to be long, often with terrible side effects, and only half of those treated are cured.

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Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

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Our work in drug-resistant TB

The Union advocates for increased research and development, and conducts clinical trials to reduce treatment time and improve outcomes for patients in countries with the highest burdens of disease.

The Union also provides practical and experience-based support to countries implementing care for people with DR-TB. Our expertise is based on our extensive research with partners supporting the nine-month regimen, including partnering on the first randomised control trial into a new regimen for multidrug-resistant TB (TREAT TB).

With the new World Health Organization guidelines focusing on shorter, all oral, regimens for MDR-TB, The Union continues to support countries to implement the latest evidence-based treatments.

TREAT TB

Category: Basic page

Read more about TREAT TB (Technology, Research, Education and Technical Assistance for Tuberculosis), an ambitious initiative that was launched by The Union, seeking to contribute new knowledge regarding shorter, more tolerable treatment regimens for MDR-TB.

OTHER AREAS OF OUR WORK IN TUBERCULOSIS

You might also be interested in our work on child and adolescent TB and TB-HIV, TB-diabetes and co-morbidities.

Past work that has influenced practice

Union study supports shorter treatment for multidrug-resistant TB

The Union used an operational research approach to test a shortened treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant TB. The study first demonstrated a greater than 80% success rate in Bangladesh, Cameroon and Niger and The Union continued to work to develop and implement shorter more effective regimens for the treatment of MDR-TB.

DR-TB Union news

Diagnosis patterns for rifampicin-resistant TB after onset of COVID-19

Published on 12 July 2021

In this recently accepted article for IJTLD, the authors found that RR-TB diagnosis decreased by 21–38% following the start of the pandemic. The results are disturbing and suggest that COVID-19 has had a sustained impact at a time when household transmission of TB/RR-TB might have increased due to ‘shelter at home’. The preprint is free to read.

Pretomanid with bedaquiline and linezolid for drug-resistant TB: a comparison of prospective cohorts

Published on 5 April 2021

In this recently accepted article for IJTLD, the authors performed a cohort-comparison study to assess Pretomanid in a regimen to treat drug-resistant TB: patients receiving the BPaL regimen had a significantly better 6-month post-treatment outcome than those on the B–L regimen. The preprint is free to read.

DR-TB publications