Treatment and Prevention of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

How do you Treat Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis?

The typical six-month treatment period for TB is not effective in patients with MDR TB. Drug- resistant tuberculosis must be treated by an expert in the field of TB. The drugs for MDR TB are less effective, more toxic and costlier. The treatment period can be up to two years.

• The heath-care provider would generally prescribe second-line drugs for treatment of MDR TB.
• Fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs are usually prescribed for treating MDR TB.
• These drugs have their associated risks and adverse effects. However, the benefits of these medications outweigh their risks; hence, these must be prescribed.
• Newer drugs like Bedaquine and Delamanid are being prescribed to treat drug-resistant and multi drug-resistant TB.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen and Diclofenac act on host factors and reduce the severity of the disease.

How do you Prevent Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis?

Drug-resistant TB can be prevented and the spread can be controlled.

• The best way to prevent growth or spread of drug-resistant bacteria includes consuming TB-related medications as per the prescription from the healthcare provider. The doses must not be missed and the treatment must not be discontinued abruptly.
• The patient must inform the provider if there are side effects when taking the medications and the medication can be changed.
• One must avoid exposure to known drug-resistant patients in crowded places like markets, and hospitals.
• Healthcare providers must be able to quickly diagnose the cases based on symptoms and history. They must monitor the patient's progress and ensure treatment is completed.

People who work in hospitals serving the TB patients must consult occupational healthcare experts.

References:

1. Drug-Resistant TB - (https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/drtb/default.htm)
2. Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis - (https://www.tbalert.org/about-tb/global-tb-challenges/drug-resistant-tb/)
3. What Is Multidrug and Extensively Drug Resistant TB? - (https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/tuberculosis/drug-resistant-tb.html)
4. Drug Resistance Mechanisms in Mycobacterium tuberculosis - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4790366/)
5. Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs As Host-Directed Therapy for Tuberculosis: A Systematic Review - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5492311/)
6. What is multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and how do we control it? - (http://www.who.int/features/qa/79/en/)

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