New Advances in Drug-resistant Tuberculosis Treatment

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) remains a major global public health challenge, threatening tuberculosis (TB) control efforts worldwide.The emergence of rifampicin-resistant (RR) and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has resulted in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden.Recent advances in DR-TB treatment have transformed management paradigms, particularly with the introduction of newer drugs such as bedaquiline, delamanid, and pretomanid, and the adoption of shorter, all-oral regimens.These strategies have improved treatment adherence, reduced toxicity, and enhanced treatment success rates.This narrative review aims to provide an updated, clinicianoriented overview of contemporary DR-TB treatment regimens, aligned with recent World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations and Indian programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (PMDT)/National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) guidelines, with emphasis on regimen selection, substitutions, and programmatic implementation.