Tuberculosis : mechanism of isoniazid action

This lecture provided an opportunity to review the role of hygiene rules and their application in the regression of tuberculosis before the advent of the combination of antibiotics (streptomycin or rifampicin) with isoniazid (rimifon). Although in use for over 50 years, the mechanism of action of this structurally simple molecule has only recently been elucidated. Over the past fifteen years, multi-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have developed in several countries around the world. There is an urgent need to relaunch the search for new molecules to rapidly treat these resistant strains, in order to limit the loss of "compliance" observed with long-term treatments.