Higher Dose Of Medication Required To Treat Tuberculosis

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers said, the typical drug dose considered crucial in treating tuberculosis efficiently is much too low to account for modern-day physiques.

Dr. Tawanda Gumbo, associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and the study’s lead author said, the finding is particularly important for those living in societies plagued by obesity.

Dr. Gumbo said, variation of this medication depends on patient’s weight and gender, so in our simulations we took that into account. “What we found is that we’re really using doses for very skinny people – 105 to 110 pounds. I haven’t met many adults who are at that weight.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, TB is the leading cause of death among people infected with HIV/AIDS, which kills more people than any other disease caused by a single infectious agent.

Source: EurekAlert