New approaches to the treatment of tuberculosis

The therapy of tuberculosis is currently well defined and usually efficient, but the management of tuberculosis in practice is not without problems. Adverse events, costs, duration of treatment, and concomitant diseases may be the cause for incomplete intake of the medication, relapse, and development of drug resistance. As tuberculosis due to resistant mycobacteria is much more difficult to treat, the World Health Organization insists rightly on the necessity of preventing the development of such resistances. New therapeutic options are being explored, be it by the use of existing drugs, with new drugs, or by administration of drugs in innovative forms (for instance by inhalation) and could soon lead to a shortening of therapy.