2019
Overview
Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of tuberculosis caused by strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are resistant to at least the two most effective first-line anti-TB drugs, isoniazid and rifampicin. Resistance arises through bacterial mutations, often promoted by incomplete or inadequate treatment, and it makes the disease harder, longer, and more costly to cure, requiring second-line drugs that are generally less effective and more toxic. MDR-TB is a major global health concern because it can spread from person to person and undermines tuberculosis control efforts. Rapid diagnosis, including molecular detection of resistance-conferring mutations, and prompt, supervised treatment are central to managing it. Drug Resistant Pathogen Research is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal covering antimicrobial resistance and resistant infectious agents. Its scope is reflected in work characterizing the genetic basis of resistance, including a study of rpoB gene mutations associated with rifampicin resistance in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients co-infected with HIV in southern India; mutations in rpoB are a principal molecular cause of the rifampicin resistance that defines MDR-TB. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance.
Research published in this journal
1 peer-reviewed article, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.