Diagnostics and Antimicrobial Treatment of Tuberculosis

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Antibiotic Therapy in Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 711

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Guest Editor
Respiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “L. Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy
Interests: tuberculosis (TB); MDR-tuberculosis; nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD); respiratory infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
Interests: tuberculosis (TB); nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD); respiratory infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Respiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “L. Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy
Interests: tuberculosis (TB); MDR-tuberculosis; nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD); respiratory infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tuberculosis remains a global health priority, complicated by the rise in drug-resistant strains and the need for faster, more accurate diagnostic tools.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for high-quality research that addresses these challenges through innovation in both clinical and laboratory settings.

We are particularly interested in submissions covering the following topics:

  • Advances in molecular and imaging diagnostics for M. tuberculosis.
  • Innovative strategies for treating MDR-TB and XDR-TB.
  • Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of anti-tubercular agents.
  • Novel drug discovery and host-directed therapies.
  • Clinical management of TB/HIV co-infections and pediatric tuberculosis.

This Special Issue aims to bring together research addressing the multifaceted aspects of tuberculosis diagnostics and antimicrobial treatment, with a focus on optimizing diagnostic/therapeutic efficacy and mitigating the emergence of resistance. Contributions exploring active case findings, novel drug discovery, immunological aspects, and host-directed therapy, in both clinical and laboratory contexts, are particularly welcome.

By highlighting recent advances and ongoing challenges in tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment, this collection aims to support evidence-based clinical decision-making and contribute to the global strategy for the eradication of tuberculosis in the broader field of tuberculosis research and control.

Dr. Fabrizio Palmieri
Prof. Dr. Francesco Di Gennaro
Dr. Gina Gualano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • molecular diagnostics
  • multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
  • pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics
  • host-directed therapy
  • point-of-care testing
  • tuberculosis infection

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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12 pages, 1264 KB  
Case Report
Drug-Resistant Tuberculous Spondylitis Treated with Bedaquiline-Containing Regimens in South Korea: Two Case Reports
by Keon Young Lee, Miri Hyun, Ji Yeon Lee and Hyun ah Kim
Antibiotics 2026, 15(5), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15050493 - 14 May 2026
Viewed by 402
Abstract
Background: South Korea continues to report a considerable burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Bedaquiline-containing regimens are recommended for multidrug-resistant pulmonary TB, but evidence regarding the optimal treatment for extrapulmonary manifestations such as spinal TB remains limited. Case presentation: Herein, we report two cases [...] Read more.
Background: South Korea continues to report a considerable burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Bedaquiline-containing regimens are recommended for multidrug-resistant pulmonary TB, but evidence regarding the optimal treatment for extrapulmonary manifestations such as spinal TB remains limited. Case presentation: Herein, we report two cases of drug-resistant tuberculous spondylitis that were successfully managed using bedaquiline-containing regimens. Case 1 involved a 67-year-old man who was receiving chemotherapy for lymphoma and had a history of spinal TB treated 20 years earlier. The patient presented with dysphagia and upper limb weakness. Cervical magnetic resonance imaging revealed C4–5 spondylitis with an epidural abscess. He underwent surgical treatment, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to rifampin was isolated from cultured intraoperatively obtained tissue specimens. The patient received an antibiotic regimen consisting of bedaquiline, levofloxacin, linezolid, cycloserine, and clofazimine. Clinical and radiological improvements were achieved after 12 months of this treatment; bedaquiline was included in the regimen for the first 6 months, while the other agents were continued for the entire course. Case 2 involved a 71-year-old man with T12–L2 spondylitis and a left psoas abscess. Tissue culture confirmed Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, and ethambutol. The patient was started on the same bedaquiline-containing regimen. Clinical and radiological improvements were observed after 18 months of this therapy, including 6 months of bedaquiline. Conclusions: Our clinical experiences suggest that bedaquiline-containing regimens represent a feasible and effective therapeutic option for drug-resistant tuberculous spondylitis. Larger studies are warranted to establish the optimal management strategies for extrapulmonary drug-resistant TB infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostics and Antimicrobial Treatment of Tuberculosis)
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