[Medical treatment of tuberculosis - update 2011]

Abstract

Tuberculosis is the second most common cause of death from an infectious disease after HIV/AIDS and the leading cause of death from an infectious disease in HIV-co-infected patients. Currently, drug susceptible TB is treated with a four drug regimen given over a period of two months followed by two drugs for four months. Drug resistant tuberculosis requires more complex and longer treatment with alternative substances. New antituberculosis drugs are currently being developed and investigated and are urgently needed to treat drug susceptible and drug resistant TB.