Tuberculosis treatment-shortening

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) presents a significant global health concern, with ∼10 million people developing TB and 1.3 million people dying from the disease each year. The standard treatment regimen for drug-susceptible TB was between 6 and 9 months until recently, presenting a prolonged therapeutic duration compared with other infectious diseases. This is a long time for patients to adhere to the medication, consequently increasing the risk of developing drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis - a significant challenge in TB management globally. Therefore, the primary objective of contemporary TB drug development research is to shorten the treatment duration. This review comprehensively explores the strategies aimed at shortening TB treatment.