Tuberculosis: burning issues: multidrug resistance and HIV-coinfection.

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis is an infection of respiratory tract and Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent. Multidrug resistance and HIV-coinfection are the burning issues for tuberculosis. The management of drug resistance to tuberculosis is the necessity of the day so by taking effective and controlled measures and giving high doses of 2nd line drugs, we can minimize the death rate in TB. For the HIV-related TB infection, it is necessary to treat TB infection first so that effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy may not be altered and the transmission of M. tuberculosis to other healthy individuals of community could be prevented. All HIV positive individuals who are at a greater risk of acquiring TB infection, either due to suppressed immune system or unhealthy circumstances, must be investigated and if indicated must be treated effectively at immediate basis so that latent TB infection may not progress to active TB.