MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM

Direct transmission of deadlier TB in city, finds genome study

Around 51% had pre-extensively drug-resistant (pre-XDR) while 15.5% had the relatively milder multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in which two of the known anti-TB drugs are ineffective. While MDR-TB and pre-XDR-TB require 18 to 24 months of treatment, the drug-sensitive form of TB requires nine months of treatment.