The fight against tuberculosis (TB), which has afflicted humanity for ages, has made great strides, partly due to improvements in treatment methods. Combination Therapy is one such tactic that has had a significant impact in the fight against TB. We’ll examine the importance, workings, and effects of combination therapy in the context of treating tuberculosis in this in-depth investigation.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-05453-3
Tuberculosis’ Complexity
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacteria responsible for TB. Because of its propensity to acquire antibiotic resistance, this bacterium is exceptionally difficult to eradicate. Drug-resistant TB strains have developed as a result of this ability, posing a serious threat to public health worldwide.
The Purpose of Combination Therapy
Combination therapy includes using many medications at once to treat tuberculosis (TB), as the name implies. This strategy is essential for the following reasons:
1.Combating Resistance: Mycobacterium tuberculosis can very quickly develop resistance to a single antibiotic. But the likelihood of resistance considerably decreases when several medications are administered together, each with a unique mode of action. To attack the bacterium in this way would be to do so from various directions.
2.Reducing the Length of Treatment: TB treatment regimens used to be lengthy and difficult, frequently lasting over two years. Combination therapy has made it possible to create treatment plans with an average duration of six to nine months that are both shorter and more efficient. As a result, individuals and healthcare systems will bear less financial stress while also seeing an improvement in treatment adherence.
3.Preventing Relapse: Even after seemingly effective treatment, TB has a terrible way of returning. After completing treatment, patients are guaranteed to remain TB-free thanks to combination therapy’s considerable reduction in the chance of relapse.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590257121000249
The Combination Therapy’s Elements
TB treatment plans frequently include a carefully chosen combination of medications. These medications can be divided into several types, each with a particular mode of action. The following medicines are frequently used in combination therapy:
- Isoniazid (INH): This medication prevents the bacterial cell wall from forming properly.
- Rifampin (RIF): Rifampin prevents the bacteria from replicating their DNA.
- Pyrazinamide (PZA): PZA targets bacteria that are actively multiplying and functions best in an acidic environment.
- Ethambutol (EMB): EMB prevents the bacterium from synthesizing its cell wall.
Effect on global TB control:
In efforts to control TB worldwide, combination therapy has been crucial:
- Reduction in Mortality: The use of combination therapy has resulted in a marked reduction in the mortality rates associated with TB. Today, this condition is saving lives that were once lost to it.
- Drug-Resistant TB Mitigation: Combination therapy aids in minimizing the emergence of drug-resistant TB strains, hence reducing the threat of antimicrobial resistance.
- Economic effectiveness: Reducing the length of a patient’s treatment minimizes the cost of healthcare for both the patient and the healthcare system. Because of this effectiveness, more money may be used to address urgent medical problems.
Conclusion:
A turning moment in the fight against this long-standing illness is the development of combination therapy for tuberculosis. This strategy combats resistance, cuts down on treatment time, and lowers the possibility of relapse by utilizing numerous antibiotics with various modes of action. Combination therapy will undoubtedly continue to be a key component of our efforts in the fight against tuberculosis as we move forward, helping to create a world free of the disease and a healthy global population.
Reference:
https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01586-16