Table 1

Treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis: World Health Organization recommendation#

Drug resistanceInitial phaseContinuation phase
Duration months DrugDuration months Drug
H+S3R, Z, E6R, E
H+E+S2R, Z, amikacin, PTH6R, PTH
Followed by
1R, Z, PTH
H+R±S3–6Z, E, PTH, amikacin, flurorquinolone18E, PTH, flurorquinolone
H+R+E+S3–6Z, PTH, amikacin, flurorquinolone, cycloserine18PTH, flurorquinolone, cycloserine
H+R+Z+E+S3–6PTH, amikacin, flurorquinolone, cycloserine, PAS18PTH, flurorquinolone, cycloserine

  • H: isoniazid

  • R: rifampicin

  • Z: pyrazinamide

  • E: ethambutol

  • S: streptomycin

  • PTH: protionamide/ethionamide

  • PAS: p‐aminosalicylic acid

  • #: treatment options for known drug resistance. If there is assumed polydrug resistance (treatment failure after standard short-course chemotherapy and directly observed therapy), treat for 3 months with aminoglycoside, protionamide, pyrazinamide and fluoroquinolone followed by 18 months with protionamide and fluoroquinolone

  • Data taken from 3, 48 and 58