[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Hereditas(Beijing) ›› 2016, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (10): 910-917.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.16-111

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Progress on mechanism of ethambutol resistance in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Ting Wang, Weiwei Jiao, Adong Shen   

  1. Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children and National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China
  • Received:2016-04-01 Revised:2016-07-28 Online:2016-10-20 Published:2016-10-20
  • Supported by:
    [Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos; 81271889,30901632)]

Abstract: The occurance and prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis poses a serious threat to the global tuberculosis control. Ethambutol (EMB) is one of the first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs, which is usually used in combination with isoniazid and rifampicin for treating pan-sensitive tuberculosis, and it can also be used in drug-resistant tuberculosis. However, the situation of EMB resistance is alarmingly high, especially in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. In China, EMB resistance rate in the previously treated cases was up to 17.2% and showed an increased tendency. What was worse, 51.3%-66.7% of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases were resistant to EMB. Thus, it is important to understand the drug resistance mechanism of EMB, which will help to slow down the drug resistance rate of EMB. In this review, we focus on the current status of EMB resistance, the effects of EMB and the mechanisms of EMB resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Key words: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, ethambutol, drug resistance