10th August 2024 (9 Topics)

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India's New BPaL Regimen for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Context

India is set to introduce the BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) regimen for treating multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) patients.

What is the BPaL Regimen?

The BPaL regimen consists of three drugs:

Bedaquiline: An anti-TB drug effective against drug-resistant strains.
Pretomanid: A newer drug with proven efficacy against resistant TB strains.
Linezolid: An antibiotic used in combination to enhance treatment effectiveness.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended BPaL and similar regimens in 2022 for their efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
Benefits:

Reduced Duration: BPaL shortens the treatment period from 18-24 months to about 6 months.
Simplified Treatment: Patients will take just three daily tablets compared to 14 different drugs in the older regimen.
Improved Adherence: Shorter and less complex treatment increases the likelihood of patients completing their therapy.

Fact Box: About Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria. It spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or spit.
Tuberculosis is preventable and curable.
Those who are infected but not (yet) ill with the disease cannot transmit it. TB disease is usually treated with antibiotics and can be fatal without treatment.
Common symptoms of TB: Prolonged cough (sometimes with blood), chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever, night sweats.
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most effective first-line TB drugs.
Current Treatment Landscape in India
- India currently has a 56% treatment success rate for MDR/RR-TB cases and 48% for XDR-TB cases, with previous regimens being long and often toxic.
- Recent Progress: The WHO's Global TB Report 2023 highlighted India’s progress in improving TB case detection and treatment coverage, which has increased to 80%. The number of drug-resistant TB cases has decreased from 140,000 in 2015 to 110,000 in 2022.

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GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

10th August 2024 (9 Topics)

Copy

India's New BPaL Regimen for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

What is the BPaL Regimen?

Fact Box: About Tuberculosis (TB)

Still Have Questions?

GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

India's New BPaL Regimen for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

What is the BPaL Regimen?

Fact Box: About Tuberculosis (TB)

Still Have Questions?

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