Doxycycline- A new tool in the armamentarium against the oldest known infection to mankind

Abstract

The developing world is having a number of issues related to healthcare.1 The situation in some of these countries is so grave that the population at large is lacking access to basic healthcare facilities.2 The diseases that have been commonly responsible for such situations are tuberculosis (TB), HIV, malaria, etc.3 TB is a public health problem.4 The disease is known to mankind for a long time and the first reports of this bacterial infection date to three million years ago.5 Globally the disease causes largescale morbidity and mortality.4 The WHO global report of the year 2020 estimated that ten million people developed active TB disease in 2019, with 1.4 million mortalities.6 The highest burden lying in WHO regions of South-East Asia, Africa, and the Western Pacific.6 The disease as detailed in the medical literature is a contagious, infectious disease, due to the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and has always been a major challenge over the course of human history, due to its severe social implications.5 The management of TB involves the use of drugs that are associated with multiple adverse effects and the treatment regimen is usually six months.7 The high pill burden, adverse drug reaction, social stigma, etc. are some of the common issues associated with TB management.8 The development and inclusion of newer drugs like Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, and Delamanid have