Final answer:
The major problems with current TB chemotherapy include antibiotic resistance, patient nonadherence, side effects, and limited treatment options.
Step-by-step explanation:
Major Problems with Current TB Chemotherapy
- Antibiotic resistance: Misuse or mismanagement of antibiotic therapies can lead to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB) strains of M. tuberculosis. These strains are a growing clinical concern and can be more difficult to treat.
- Patient nonadherence: TB treatment often lasts for months to a year, and nonadherence to the recommended course of treatment can lead to antibiotic resistance and the development of drug-resistant TB strains.
- Side effects: Many drugs currently used for TB chemotherapy are not specific to TB, leading to common side effects such as damage to healthy cells in the skin, hair, gastrointestinal system, and bone marrow.
- Limited treatment options: The emergence of MDR-TB and XDR-TB strains leaves patients with limited treatment options, as these strains are resistant to commonly used antibiotics.