Treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

Abstract

Twenty five percent of the global population is infected with tuberculosis (TB). The World Health Organization (WHO) hopes to reduce the TB related mortality by 90% and decrease incidences by 80% between 2015 and 2030. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) carries the highest mortality rate. Significant advancement has been made in the treatment of mycobacterium tuberculosis. At the same time, we have seen significant surges in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). In 2016, 490,000 people world-wide developed MDR-TB; moreover, 110,000 people who had rifampicin resistance TB were also considered for MDRTB treatment. Of the 490,000 people who had MDR-TB, approximately 6.2% had Xtreme drug resistance tuberculosis (XDR-TB). The management of MDR-TB has been challenging for many physicians. This chapter discusses the management of MDR-TB and XDR-TB and will also discuss the latest WHO guidelines and policy recommendations for the treatment of MDR-TB.