Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis is a common and serious problem globally. In a new article, researchers from Uppsala University describe how tuberculosis bacteria that carries a mutation that in theory should kill them manages to stay alive. The researchers discovered that the same trick that kept the bacteria alive also made them resistant to a very important type of antibiotic.

Patients with both HIV and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) can now receive better-balanced medication. This may shorten the treatment duration for MDR-TB and reduce the many side effects associated with current treatments, such as hearing loss and nausea. It will hopefully also help reduce the development of antibiotic resistance. These are the findings of new research from Uppsala University.