8.1 Introduction

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    A combination of several antituberculosis drugs is needed to treat tuberculosis (TB) and prevent the emergence of resistance.

    Each TB drug has a specific action on one or more bacillary populations, but none on dormant bacilli.

     

    TB drugs are classified into two categories:

    • Drugs for drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB), also referred to as "first-line TB drugs".
    • Drugs for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), also referred to as "second-line TB drugs". WHO has further classified DR-TB drugs in groups based on their effectiveness and safety profile.

     

    Treatment regimens define the TB drug combinations used and the intended duration of TB treatment.

     

    For more information on the TB drugs, see Appendix 10.

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