TB treatment quickens if antibiotic added

New discoveries have been made by US scientists into cutting the treatment time of tuberculosis (TB) patients.

Adding an antibiotic to the standard mix of drugs could cut up to two months off a patient's treatment time, according to scientist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Researchers found that by adding the antibiotic Moxifloxacin - made by Bayer - instead of older drug to standardised ethambutol, to TB therapies, an increase of 17 per cent in overall effectiveness was reported.

"Our finding shows that moxifloxacin is potent against tuberculosis," said senior author Richard Chaisson, a professor of medicine, epidemiology and international health.

"It shows very dramatically that people get better faster. Beyond the obvious value of healing patients more quickly, a shorter treatment time could also cut down on transmission of the disease to others and make it easier for health care workers worldwide, who are overwhelmed by large numbers of patients, to treat more people and to treat them faster."