Rising Resistance and Treatment‌ Challenges

Experts have warned that⁣ extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is becoming ⁣a significant threat across Europe, describing it as a “monster that grows in silence” and potentially undermining efforts to eliminate the disease, according to reports in Medscape News Europe.

The increase in resistance coincides with the implementation of shorter​ treatment regimens recommended by the​ World Health Organization (WHO). Contributing factors ​include gaps in drug susceptibility testing, delays in accessing essential ​medicines, inconsistent adoption of treatment guidelines, migration ⁢patterns, and supply chain issues.

Evidence​ of an Epidemic in Eastern Europe

New data from the Republic of Moldova suggests the emergence of an epidemic of ‍XDR-TB in Eastern Europe.Maintaining ‌the effectiveness of​ drugs like bedaquiline ⁢and other Group‌ A medications ⁢will require expanded‍ next-generation targeted⁣ sequencing, ⁣careful antibiotic stewardship, and continued investment in new drug ⁢growth.

Prevalence and Treatment ‌Outcomes (2017-2023)

A retrospective ⁣study published in The Lancet analyzed data from 11,004 patients with multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) across 16 ⁣countries⁢ in the WHO⁤ European Region between⁣ 2017 and 2023. ‌The study ⁢found that ‌1.7% of these patients had ‌XDR-TB.

Of the​ 188 XDR-TB patients identified, substantial proportions exhibited‍ resistance to key drugs: 48.4%​ were resistant to​ bedaquiline, 34.0% ⁢to linezolid, and 17.6% to both. Alarmingly, only 40% ⁤of XDR-TB ​patients achieved ​successful treatment outcomes.