title: Tuberculosis therapy for 2016 and beyond.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis has been and remains arguably the most important infectious disease of all time. However, when compared to other diseases of similar human impact, relatively little progress has been made. Although there are many new drugs being developed for the first time in decades, it is unclear what role each of these new drugs will play.
  
  
  METHODS
  The history of current therapy is reviewed as are the challenges associated with medications currently in use. Drugs that have recently been added to the armamentarium of therapy are reviewed as well as new candidate drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Developing new drugs to treat tuberculosis is of critical importance but even more important is developing strategies that ensure that there is no further amplification of drug resistance around the world especially in high burden low resource settings. Directly observed therapy is the cornerstone of protecting existing and future regimens and new technologies will potentially extend the reach of monitored therapy. Challenges remain including maintaining an adequate drug supply but the greatest challenge may be the issue of persistent organisms that require prolonged therapy. By discovering the triggers of persistence and identifying new drug targets can it be possible to radically shorten therapy.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine , University of Florida , Gainesville , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lauzardo
authors.affiliation: b College of Pharmacy , University of Florida , Gainesville , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Peloquin
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: Tuberculosis; epidemiology; future; new drugs; new regimens; therapy; vaccine