Molecular mechanisms of action and resistance to the first-line drugs against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, caused by the infectious pathogenic bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the top 10 infectious agents (above AIDS/HIV) that cause death globally, and a large number of people contract the disease every year.Significantly, the four first-line drugs (rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol) that make up the foundation of treatment regimens throughout the first six to nine months of treatment are delivered in various combinations when administering TB treatments.It is very important to continuously update information on molecular mechanisms of action and resistance to the anti-tuberculosis drugs against M. tuberculosis due the global rises in 558 000 new cases of rifampicin-resistant/ multidrug-resistant tuberculosis recently.In many countries and regions, even more severe cases of drug resistance have been documented in recent years.The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the latest report on molecular mechanisms of action and resistance to the first-line drugs against M. tuberculosis.A better knowledge of the mechanisms of action and resistance of anti-tuberculosis drugs would be very helpful for efficient tuberculosis therapy and clinical care.