Transmission of MDR tuberculosis

Abstract

Transmission of drug-resistant tuberculosis, especially multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensive drug-resistant tuberculosis is an important public health problem worldwide, particularly in high TB burden developing countries. DOTS does help by providing effective treatment but needs to be supplemented with aggressive case finding. A simple and efficient way to reduce the transmission of drug-resistant TB is urgently needed. Efficient rapid diagnostic techniques, aggressive case finding and improved patient management and optimized treatment need help to reduce community transmission of drug-resistant TB.