The treatment of tuberculosis: current status and future prospects

Although a vaccine and effective chemotherapy against tuberculosis (TB) have been available for more than half a century, TB was declared a global emergency in 1993. Current chemotherapeutic regimens are being undermined by lack of resources for proper implementation and control, and the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Several new chemotherapeutic agents are under development, mainly derived from existing anti-TB drugs or broad-spectrum antibiotics. New experimental agents include immunomodulants and drugs directed against novel cellular targets.