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Drug Resistant TB
About Drug Resistant TB
Drug resistant tuberculosis is a growing global health threat. Multidrug resistant TB MDR TB is resistant to at least rifampin and isoniazid, the two most effective TB drugs. Under the current WHO definition, extensively drug resistant TB XDR TB is also resistant to fluoroquinolones and to bedaquiline or linezolid. An estimated 410,000 people developed MDR or rifampin resistant TB in 2022. Treatment has historically been long, costly, and associated with significant side effects. WHO has reported treatment success rates of around 63 percent for MDR TB, with lower rates for XDR TB. Newer drugs such as bedaquiline and pretomanid have allowed WHO recommended regimens to be substantially shortened. The BCG vaccine provides limited protection against adult pulmonary TB. New TB vaccines including M72 AS01E are in Phase 3 trials. Drug resistance emerges from inadequate or interrupted treatment, poor quality drugs, and transmission of resistant strains. India has the largest number of MDR TB cases, and burdens are also high in several other countries in Asia and the former Soviet Union.
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