Gaps of Tuberculosis: A Review of the Literature Surrounding the Diagnosis, Prognosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Tuberculosis

The purpose of this study was to identify the gaps that exist with the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was deemed a global health emergency in 1993 by the World Health Organization and still remains a prominent issue. Certain strains of tuberculosis have mutated to be drug-resistant, which causes a host of issues for treatment. By reviewing studies, the gaps that exist for tuberculosis were compiled and categorized. Failed attempts to solve the current gaps were documented for review. A recommendation was given to organizations and companies to collaborate, utilize one another’s resources, and fight tuberculosis first, not the drug resistance. Isoniazid, one of the first-line medications to treat tuberculosis, needs to be investigated. Isoniazid is the leading anti-tuberculosis drug that leads to hepatotoxicity, which subsequently causes patients to default on their regimen. The developed treatment needs to be examined from the patient’s perspective.