Open AccessExtensively drug‐resistant tuberculosis: current challenges and threats
Author(s) -
Jain Amita,
Mondal Rajesh
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2008.00400.x
Subject(s) - capreomycin , tuberculosis , rifampicin , extensively drug resistant tuberculosis , isoniazid , mycobacterium tuberculosis , medicine , drug resistance , virology , amikacin , ethambutol , biology , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology
Extensively drug‐resistant tuberculosis (XDR‐TB) is defined as tuberculosis caused by a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain that is resistant to at least rifampicin and isoniazid among the first‐line antitubercular drugs (multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis; MDR‐TB) in addition to resistance to any fluroquinolones and at least one of three injectable second‐line drugs, namely amikacin, kanamycin and/or capreomycin. Recent studies have described XDR‐TB strains from all continents. Worldwide prevalence of XDR‐TB is estimated to be c . 6.6% in all the studied countries among multidrug‐resistant M. tuberculosis strains. The emergence of XDR‐TB strains is a reflection of poor tuberculosis management, and controlling its emergence constitutes an urgent global health reality and a challenge to tuberculosis control activities in all parts of the world, especially in developing countries and those lacking resources and as well as in countries with increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS.