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Tuberculosis (TB) treatment has been undergoing a transformation over the last decade, and the advancements have been significant. The global average for TB treatment duration has gone down from 9 months to 6 months, and the number of people with TB has reduced by 22%.
Various developments have changed the course of TB treatment. One is the introduction of GeneXpert, a test that detects TB and its resistance to rifampicin in less than two hours. It utilizes an automated system that extracts DNA from TB bacteria and finds out if the bacteria are resistant to rifampicin; and if they are, it is assumed that they are multiresistant TB.
The reduction in treatment duration is admirable, and it has occurred as a result of the introduction of fixed-dose combination drugs. Previously, patients took four types of medicine separately, but now they take only two pills daily. It has simplified treatment significantly.
The arrival of bedaquiline and delamanid in the market has also revolutionized TB treatment. These are new drugs that have been approved for use in drug-resistant TB. As a result, patients with multidrug-resistant TB now have a higher chance of being cured. The efficiency of these medicines in treating TB is very promising.
Digging deeper into the new drugs, bedaquiline is fast replacing medicines like kanamycin and capreomycin in the treatment of MDR-TB. It is a groundbreaking drug that targets ATP synthase, a part of the bacteria's energy-generation process. Delamanid, on the other hand, is the first drug to be developed specifically for the treatment of MDR-TB. These two drugs are making a significant impact on the treatment of MDR-TB.
Lastly, there has been significant investment in TB research and development over the past few years. There is a strong push to develop new, more effective TB treatments. The World Health Organization has put forth a target of developing a cure for TB by 2035. The emergence of new technologies like CRISPR Cas9, personalized medicine, and digital healthcare is giving hope for the achievement of this target.
In conclusion, TB treatment has evolved significantly over the past decade, thanks to technological advancements, research and development, and policy changes. The developments have led to significant reductions in the number of people with TB and treatment duration, and it is encouraging to see dedicated efforts towards discovering new treatments and ultimately a cure for TB.
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