Tuberculosis

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is one of the greatest challenges facing the elimination of TB. In the United States, persons born outside the United States account for 70% of new TB cases. Nucleic acid amplification testing has greatly reduced the amount of time needed for diagnosis of TB, down to 1 to 2 days, compared with waiting 21 days for culture results. The shorter treatment regimen for latent TB infection with weekly isoniazid and rifabutin for 12 weeks provides treatment as effective as the traditional daily isoniazid for 6 months, but with better adherence from patients.