Antibiotics have been the standard treatment for TB for many years. However, scientists have developed a new treatment that will help people treat their disease without antibiotics. They have developed the treatment after 10 years of research. They are hoping that they will be able to test the drug on humans within three or four years.
The drug works by targeting the defenses that the bacteria builds. It does not target the bacteria itself. That is why it can fight tuberculosis that is resistant to antibiotics.
A vaccine has been available for 100 years. However, it is estimated that 30 percent of people in the world have this infection. It is estimated that 1.3 million people die from Tuberculosis each year. In 2018, 7.3 million people were diagnosed and treated for this condition.
China, India and Africa are the places with the highest rates of TB. However, the number of people being diagnosed with TB is increasing in the United Kingdom. People with TB have to take strong antibiotics for six to eight months. Twenty percent of people who have TB will have develop the disease again. In many cases, people will develop unpleasant side effects due to the medication.
Animal studies have shown that this treatment can be promising. The drug was given to animals that had chronic and acute TB. The results of the study showed that the drug was effective.
Professor Lydia Tabernero was one of the researchers involved in the study. She stated that even though the drug does not kill the bacteria directly, it can reduce the bacterial burden. She noted that TB is extremely difficult to treat. Even if a person uses antibiotics, there is no guarantee that the disease will not come back. Professor Lydia s hoping that the new drug will work just as well in humans.
