Hopes for a more effective treatment for tuberculosis

Hopes of a new, more effective therapy for tuberculosis have been raised following the results of early trials.

The study showed three drugs given in combination killed more than 99% of TB bacteria after two weeks of treatment.

The therapy appeared to be equally effective on the drug-resistant form of the disease in the trials of 85 patients, a team led by Stellenbosch University in South Africa reported.

Mario Raviglione, from the World Health Organisation, said that the recent discovery could 'revolutionise the way we are dealing with TB control today'.

Mike Wooldridge reports.