Reduction of Viability Duration of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Produced by Subinhibitory Concentrations of Antituberculous Drugs

Abstract

The problem of viability duration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis appears to be very important in a correlation to the chemotherapeutic effect of antituberculous drugs. If a subinhibitory concentrations of a drug could produce a reduction of viability duration of the organism, it would be indicated that even such low concentrations of the drug may be effective for the therapy of tuberculos is and may be effective in retarding the emergence of drug resistance. Since blood levels of drugs in human body are not always inhibitory for the growth of the organism, it appears very important to know whether the above possibility exists or not. It is the purpose of the present paper to study the viability duration of M. tuberculosis grown on subinhibitory concentrations of antituberculous drugs.