Rationale for Anti-Tuberculosis Chemotherapy

Abstract

This chapter summarizes briefly the history of anti-tuberculosis (TB) chemotherapy and discusses its principles, the different populations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli, and the probability they have to develop resistance to the anti-TB drugs. The bactericidal and sterilizing activity of the available anti-TB drugs is also presented, to define the minimum requirements for an anti-TB regimen and to shed light on the possible future of anti-TB regimens. In the future of anti-TB regimens we see the possibility, on one side to use new drugs which are presently in the development pipeline, and on the other side to better understand how to use new and repurposed drugs within effective and well-tolerated regimens.