In the past 10 years, USA has experienced a significant increase in the incidence of tuberculosis. Thus, the incidence of tuberculosis in the United States of America in 1991 was 34: 100,000 of the population, and in 1998 - 76: 100,000. The traditional American approaches to the treatment of tuberculosis are very different from those in the West.

The aim of the study, carried out by scientists from the regional tuberculosis clinic in Tomsk and the Medical University of Siberia, was to compare the efficacy of the short course of anti-tuberculosis treatment recommended by WHO with the standard American regimens.

The study included 646 patients aged 18 and over who fell into two categories: newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis (new cases) with positive smear tests, severe abacillary pulmonary tuberculosis and severe extrapulmonary tuberculosis (I), or pulmonary tuberculosis with limiting damage to the parenchyma and with negative sputum smears, as well as patients with mild extrapulmonary tuberculosis (III). The study did not include patients belonging to categories II and IV (individuals with a relapse of the disease and those whose treatment did not give the expected effect (positive sputum smear) or was stopped, and patients with chronic tuberculosis).

The patients were divided into 2 groups: the first (356 patients, of whom 155 were found to have mycobacteria in a sputum smear) received standard American treatment, the second (290 patients, of whom 155 were also found to have mycobacteria in a sputum smear) - recommended by the WHO short course of chemotherapy.

There were no statistically significant differences in the levels of resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to anti-tuberculosis drugs in the groups compared. In 25 patients (4%), multiresistant strains of mycobacteria resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin were isolated.

There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the number of patients cured, patients who completed treatment, and patients who died.

Less than 10% of patients experienced serious adverse reactions (NLR). Most often, NLR developed with pyrazinamide, which led to discontinuation of the drug. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of NLR between the two study groups.

Thus, the short duration of anti-tuberculosis treatment recommended by WHO can be used in USA.