Studies of antituberculosis chemotherapy with an in vitro model of human tuberculosis.

  • 1 December 1986
    • journal article
    • Vol. 1  (4) , 262-4
Abstract
Testing new drugs or drug combinations for activity against tuberculosis is highly problematic: Clinical therapy trials are expensive and time-consuming; animal trial results may not be applicable to humans; and simple in vitro testing on culture medium excludes a vital component of the natural infection, namely the macrophage. Described here is a technique to treat with chemotherapy human macrophages that have been infected ex vivo with tubercle bacilli. Briefly discussed are the results of treating such infected phagocytes with a variety of agents: Streptomycin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, isoniazid, and ceforanide. Interesting parallels between the macrophage-model results and observed clinical phenomena are noted. This model appears to have considerable potential for evaluating drug activity against tubercle bacilli, nontuberculous mycobacteria, and, perhaps, other intracellular parasites.

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