VIEWS ON THE SUSTENANCE OF RESISTANT MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Microbial resistance to conventional as well as newly introduced drugs is a hallmark feature of several infectious diseases, notably tubercu losis. It is hypothesized that the greater the selective pressure exer ted by increasingly potent drugs, the more rapidly is an organism able to adapt to a drug-containing environment. The roles of drug-containi ng environments, and the immunological status of the host and bacteria l molecular mechanisms of development of drug resistance to Mycobacter ium tuberculosis have been examined and examples cited for implementat ion of modified drug regimens in tuberculosis-control programmes. The views expressed, albeit restricted to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, enco urage consideration of drug regimens on a disease evolution basis as w ell as understanding of the natural rules that govern development and sustenance of drug resistance in the microbial world.