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Home › Conditions › Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Subtypes of Tuberculosis

Pulmonary Tuberculosis 10 Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis 9 Rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis 4 Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection 3 Tuberculous meningitis 3 Latent Tuberculosis Infection 2 Bone tuberculosis 1 Cerebral tuberculosis 1 Lymph node tuberculosis 1 Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis 1 Post-tuberculosis lung disease 1 Renal Tuberculosis 1 Spinal Tuberculosis 1 Extrapulmonary tuberculosis 0 Meningeal Tuberculosis 0 Tuberculous psoas abscesses 0 Tuberculous serous effusions 0

91 published articles · Updated continuously

Clinical Trial Landscape

Clinical Trials for Tuberculosis

108 trials tracked for Tuberculosis: 19 in phase 3 or 4 and 10 with published results. The most-cited published study has 597 citations.

108Trials tracked
19Phase 3 & 4
0Recruiting
10With published results
Phase distribution
Phase 4 12 Phase 3 7 Phase 2 41 Phase 1 15 Other / NA 33
  1. Phase 3 Various Doses and Durations of Linezolid Plus Bedaquiline & Pretomanid in Participants With Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Completed · 597 cited
  2. Phase 3 Brief Rifapentine-Isoniazid Evaluation for TB Prevention (BRIEF TB) Completed · 377 cited
  3. Phase 4 Study of Limited Versus Continuous Isoniazid Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy in HIV-infected Persons in Botswana Completed · 357 cited
  4. Phase 4 Evaluating the Safety of Immediate Versus Deferred Isoniazid Preventive Therapy Among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women Completed · 124 cited
  5. Phase 4 Wirelessly Observed Therapy in Comparison to Directly Observed Therapy for the Treatment of Tuberculosis Completed · 94 cited
  6. Phase 3 Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of BPaMZ in Drug-Sensitive (DS-TB) Adult Patients and Drug-Resistant (DR-TB) Adult Patients Completed · 60 cited
Show 44 more trials
  1. Phase 3 TBTC Study 31: Rifapentine-containing Tuberculosis Treatment Shortening Regimens Completed · 33 cited
  2. Phase 4 Effect of Weight and/or Obesity on Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim Concentrations Completed · 15 cited
  3. Phase 4 Alcohol Drinkers' Exposure to Preventive Therapy for TB (ADEPTT) Completed · 11 cited
  4. Phase 4 Ultra Curto (Ultra Short) TB Prevention Therapy Completed · 2 cited
  5. Phase 4 Effect of Weight and/or Obesity on Dapsone Drug Concentrations Completed
  6. Phase 4 Rifampin and the Contraceptive Implant Completed
  7. Phase 4 Immediate Versus Deferred Start of Anti-HIV Therapy in HIV-Infected Adults Being Treated for Tuberculosis Completed
  8. Phase 4 Xpert MTB/Rif, a New Tool for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Two Municipalities in Brazil Completed
  9. Phase 4 Effect of Weight and/or Obesity on Ethambutol Drug Concentrations Completed
  10. Phase 4 Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Immune Reconstitution Syndrome Trial (THIRST) Completed
  11. Phase 3 Three Months of Weekly Rifapentine and Isoniazid for M. Tuberculosis Infection Completed
  12. Phase 3 Tuberculosis Treatment Shortening Trial Completed
  13. Phase 3 Treatment of Latent TB Infection for Jailed Persons Completed
  14. Phase 2 Safety and Immunogenicity of a Candidate Tuberculosis (TB) Vaccine in Healthy HIV Negative Adolescents Completed
  15. Phase 2 DAR-901 TB Booster Vaccine to Prevent TB in Adolescents Completed
  16. Phase 2 Safety and Immunogenicity of AERAS-402 in HIV-infected, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-Vaccinated Adults Completed
  17. Phase 2 Statin Adjunctive Therapy for TB Completed
  18. Phase 2 Safety and Immunogenicity Study of GSK Biologicals Tuberculosis Vaccines (692342) to Healthy Adults Completed
  19. Phase 2 Evaluating PK, Tolerability, and Safety of Rifapentine and Isoniazid in Pregnant and Postpartum Women Completed
  20. Phase 2 Infant TB Infection Prevention Study Completed
  21. Phase 2 Standard Versus Double Dose Dolutegravir in Patients With HIV-associated Tuberculosis Completed
  22. Phase 2 A Study of MVA85A in Healthy Infants Completed
  23. Phase 2 Early Bactericidal Activity of Linezolid, Gatifloxacin, Levofloxacin, Isoniazid (INH) and Moxifloxacin in HIV Negative Adults With Initial Episodes of Sputum Smear-Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis Completed
  24. Phase 2 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Biologicals' Candidate Tuberculosis (TB) Vaccine in Adults Completed
  25. Phase 2 Essentiality of INH in TB Therapy Completed
  26. Phase 2 Phase IIa Clinical Study of Recombinant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Allergen ESAT6-CFP10 Completed
  27. Phase 2 Safety and Immunogenicity of 2 Formulations of Tuberculosis Vaccine GSK692342 Given at 0,1 Months to Healthy Adults Completed
  28. Phase 2 Safety and Immunogenicity Study of a Candidate Tuberculosis Vaccine in Healthy Infants Completed
  29. Phase 2 Trial of High-Dose Rifampin in Patients With TB Completed
  30. Phase 2 Evaluation of Safety, Immunogenicity, and Prevention of TB With AERAS-404 and BCG Revaccination in Healthy Adolescents Completed
  31. Phase 2 Safety and Immunogenicity Study of a Candidate Tuberculosis Vaccine in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Positive Adults Completed
  32. Phase 2 Metronidazole for Pulmonary Tuberculosis (South Korea) Completed
  33. Phase 2 An Early Bactericidal Activity, Safety and Tolerability of GSK3036656 in Subjects With Drug-sensitive Pulmonary Tuberculosis Completed
  34. Phase 2 Efficacy Against TB Disease, Safety, and Immunogenicity of MVA85A/AERAS-485 in HIV-Infected Adults (C-030-485) Completed
  35. Phase 2 PK Study of Rifampicin Interactions With DMPA and Efavirenz in TB Completed
  36. Phase 2 Linezolid Dosing Strategies in Drug-Resistant TB Completed
  37. Phase 2 TMC207-TiDP13-C208: Anti-bacterial Activity, Safety, and Tolerability of TMC207 in Participants With Multi-drug Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Completed
  38. Phase 2 A Clinical Trial of the Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Hematologic Effects of Imatinib on Myelopoiesis in Adults When Given With and Without Isoniazid and Rifabutin Completed
  39. Phase 2 Study of AERAS-402 in Healthy Infants Completed
  40. Phase 2 High-Dose Isoniazid Among Adult Patients With Different Genetic Variants of INH-Resistant Tuberculosis (TB) Completed
  41. Phase 2 Pharmacokinetic Study to Evaluate Double-Dose Levonorgestrel Emergency Contraception in Combination With Efavirenz-Based Antiretroviral Therapy or Rifampicin-Containing Anti-Tuberculosis Therapy Completed
  42. Phase 2 Effects of Interferon-Gamma on Cavitary Pulmonary Tuberculosis in the Lungs Completed
  43. Phase 2 Moxifloxacin As Part of a Multi-Drug Regimen For Tuberculosis Completed
  44. Phase 2 A Phase 2 to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Combinations of Bedaquiline, Moxifloxacin, PA-824 and Pyrazinamide in Adult Subjects With Drug-Sensitive or Multi Drug-Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Completed

Showing the 50 most-cited and recently-updated of 108 trials. Browse the full registry →

Trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Counts describe the research landscape and are not a treatment recommendation. Informational only — not medical advice.

What the trials found Updated — new results For clinicians

Tuberculosis: what the trials found

Isoniazid (INH) is a cornerstone of tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy. In a large phase 4 trial, INH was associated with a cumulative incidence of grade 3/4 hepatotoxicity of 8.3% 8. Adherence to INH was suboptimal in 31.3% of participants, though self-reported days of intake were high (30/30 days) 8. Another trial found no significant difference in TB treatment completion rates in prison with INH (p=0.08) 4. In pregnant women, INH did not significantly increase fetal death (p=0.093) or prematurity (p=0.288) compared to control 5. A phase 3 trial showed that once-weekly rifapentine (RPT) plus INH for 3 months reduced the cumulative rate of culture-confirmed TB disease at 33 months (0.43% vs 0.19%) 20. A phase 4 trial of rifapentine 600 mg plus INH 300 mg found a trend toward higher treatment completion (>90% adherence) but did not reach significance (p=0.07) 9. Rifampin 600 mg was also studied in a small phase 4 trial 10.

Xpert MTB/Rif, a molecular diagnostic test, significantly increased TB notification rates (notification rate ratio 48.7 vs 30.5, p<0.01) 12. However, it did not significantly affect non-laboratory tested TB (p=0.923) and paradoxically increased negative-laboratory TB notifications (p=0.004) 12. In drug-sensitive TB, a phase 3 trial of pretomanid-containing regimens showed significantly higher culture-negative status by 8 weeks (p<0.001) 18, but rates of unfavorable outcomes (bacteriologic failure, relapse, clinical failure) at 52 weeks were similar across arms 18. Another phase 3 trial of pretomanid also reported comparable unfavorable outcomes at 26 and 78 weeks 16. A phase 3 trial of rifapentine-containing regimens showed a borderline significant difference in grade 3+ adverse events (p=0.05) and faster decline of sputum viable bacilli 19.

Digital health feedback systems improved witnessed doses (92.9% vs 63.1%) in a phase 4 trial 6. In HIV-associated TB, immediate ART did not significantly improve survival without AIDS progression (p=0.45) 14. Fixed-dose combination zidovudine/lamivudine/abacavir achieved HIV RNA <400 copies/ml in 26/31 evaluable patients 15. Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim 7 and dapsone 11 were studied in small phase 4 trials. Ethambutol was associated with fewer bacteriologic/clinical relapses at 30 months (3 vs 13) in a phase 3 trial 22, but another small phase 4 trial 13 did not report comparative outcomes.

Recent results — preliminary, needs further review

  • A recent phase 2 trial of linezolid 600 mg showed a trend toward improved time to 26-week stable culture conversion (p=0.0546) but no significant differences in permanent discontinuation of anti-TB drugs (p=0.58) or linezolid specifically (p=0.82) 2.
  • A large recent trial of choice architecture interventions to increase TB preventive therapy (TPT) initiation in HIV patients found modest improvements: among patients newly starting ART, TPT initiation within 90 days was 70.1% vs 71.5% (not tested for significance); among established ART patients, TPT initiation was 2.1% vs 5.2%; and among TPT-eligible new ART patients, 77.3% vs 78.3% 3.

For the clinician treating this condition

  • Isoniazid remains effective for TB prevention but requires monitoring for hepatotoxicity and adherence support.
  • Rifapentine-based short-course regimens (e.g., once-weekly INH/RPT for 3 months) reduce TB disease incidence and may improve completion.
  • Xpert MTB/Rif increases TB case detection, but its impact on overall notification rates may be offset by increased negative laboratory notifications.

AI synthesis of 19 cited trials, updated Jun 22, 2026. Informational only — not medical advice; trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. How we use AI.

Tuberculosis: current evidence & treatments

Digital health interventions, particularly video observed therapy, improve treatment success and adherence in adults with tuberculosis compared to directly observed therapy (RR 1.18; 95% CI 1.02-1.37) 1. For drug-resistant tuberculosis, linezolid-containing regimens reduce unfavorable outcomes (RD -0.150; 95% CI -0.211 to -0.089) and increase sputum culture conversion (RD 0.047; 95% CI 0.003 to 0.092) 11. The BPaLM regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis with cerebral or bone involvement shows mixed outcomes, with one patient completing treatment without relapse at 1 year and another discontinuing due to adverse events 7.

Comorbidities significantly influence tuberculosis outcomes. People living with HIV have reduced odds of post-tuberculosis lung disease (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.52-0.89), while undernutrition increases odds (OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.02-3.87) 3. Diabetes is associated with impaired immune control of tuberculosis pathogenesis 21. In HIV-related sepsis, immediate antituberculosis therapy did not reduce mortality compared to waiting for diagnosis 4. Tuberculosis prevalence is higher among people living with HIV in Africa 22.

Diagnostic tools show variable accuracy. MiniDock MTB on sputum swabs has high specificity (96.8%-98.8%) and good agreement with Xpert (Kappa 0.84) [12,14]. Digital chest radiography with computer-aided detection has variable sensitivity for asymptomatic tuberculosis 13. Tongue swab testing with Xpert Ultra shows promise in adolescents 18. Multiplex PCR assays achieve 100% sensitivity and specificity for MTBc detection 20. A 3D ResNeXt classifier on CT imaging distinguishes nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease from pulmonary tuberculosis with AUC 0.89 25.

Key drugs in the evidence

Isoniazid 7 rifampicin 5 ethambutol 5 rifampin 4 pyrazinamide 3 amikacin 2 moxifloxacin 2 streptomycin 2 anti-tuberculosis drugs 1 pyridoxine 1

Latest findings

AI-generated synthesis of 14 cited studies, updated Jun 12, 2026. How we use AI.

HCP Mode — summaries include clinical detail, trial data, and statistical outcomes.
Patient Mode — summaries use plain language, avoiding clinical jargon.
Review of food insecurity and delayed TB treatment initiation in Botswana
Infectious Disease
Review of food insecurity and delayed TB treatment initiation in Botswana Hungry Minds: Why Poverty Delays TB Care
This observational review examined food insecurity and delayed TB treatment initiation among 180 people newly diagnosed with TB in Gaborone,…
Fixing hunger alone might not be enough; we must also treat the sadness and worry that keep patients from seeking help.
medRxiv Apr 16, 2026
Cerebral infarction common in tuberculous meningitis and linked to disease severity and arterial occlusion
Neurology RCT
Cerebral infarction common in tuberculous meningitis and linked to disease severity and arterial occlusion Could blood thinners or specific treatments make brain strokes worse in severe meningitis?
This secondary analysis of the ACT-TBM randomized trial examined 226 patients with tuberculous meningitis at two tertiary centers in India.
Patients with tuberculous meningitis and blocked arteries were much more likely to develop strokes, especially if they received modified tub…
Apr 15, 2026
Review examines type VII secretion system roles in Mycobacterium tuberculosis immune evasion
Infectious Disease Sys. Review
Review examines type VII secretion system roles in Mycobacterium tuberculosis immune evasion How tuberculosis bacteria hide from your immune system using special tools
This narrative review synthesizes evidence on Mycobacterium tuberculosis type VII secretion system (ESX-associated genes) functions.
Tuberculosis bacteria use secret tools to steal iron, hide inside your cells, and slip past immune guards to cause serious illness.
Frontiers Apr 15, 2026
Retrospective study finds low resistance to key antibiotics in TB patients with UTIs
Infectious Disease Cohort
Retrospective study finds low resistance to key antibiotics in TB patients with UTIs When TB Treatment Hits a Wall: The Hidden Bladder Problem
A retrospective cohort study of 1,151 bacterial strains from tuberculosis patients with urinary tract infections at a single hospital found …
Tuberculosis patients with urinary infections face drug-resistant bacteria, but a five-year hospital review reveals which antibiotics still …
Frontiers Apr 15, 2026
Retrospective cohort finds nomogram predicts bone nonunion after spinal tuberculosis surgery
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Cohort
Retrospective cohort finds nomogram predicts bone nonunion after spinal tuberculosis surgery A New Prediction Tool Spots Spine Fusion Failures Before They Happen
A retrospective cohort of 178 patients undergoing debridement and instrumented fusion for spinal tuberculosis found 58 patients (32.6%) expe…
A new prediction model could help doctors identify before surgery which spinal TB patients are most likely to experience failed bone healing…
Frontiers Apr 14, 2026
Pooled Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra testing shows high specificity but reduced sensitivity compared to individual testing in Vietnamese adults with presumptive tuberculosis
Infectious Disease
Pooled Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra testing shows high specificity but reduced sensitivity compared to individual testing in Vietnamese adults with presumptive tuberculosis Could testing TB samples in groups save money while still catching most cases?
This cross-sectional study evaluated pooled versus individual Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra testing among 2,396 adults with presumptive tuberculosis i…
Testing tuberculosis samples in groups saved over $14,000 and cut test kit use by nearly half while still catching most infections.
medRxiv Apr 14, 2026
CFP10 immunohistochemistry shows high sensitivity for renal tuberculosis in surgical specimens
Rheumatology Cohort
CFP10 immunohistochemistry shows high sensitivity for renal tuberculosis in surgical specimens New Test Finds Hidden TB in Kidney Tissue
A retrospective cohort study of 86 patients with surgically resected renal tissue found CFP10 immunohistochemical staining had 91.8% sensiti…
A new kidney test spots hidden tuberculosis by finding a specific protein that standard methods often miss, helping doctors catch the infect…
Frontiers Apr 13, 2026
qPCR shows higher MTB detection rate than AFB staining in granulomatous inflammation tissues
Rheumatology Cohort
qPCR shows higher MTB detection rate than AFB staining in granulomatous inflammation tissues A Faster Way to Catch Hidden TB in Tissue Samples
A cohort study of 1,050 patients with granulomatous inflammation found qPCR had a higher MTB detection rate (63.43%) than AFB staining (26.2…
A modern DNA-based lab test is catching tuberculosis that the century-old stain has been missing — and it can flag drug resistance at the sa…
Frontiers Apr 13, 2026
R3clone strain accounts for 70% of rifampicin-resistant TB in Rwanda and transmits across borders
Infectious Disease
R3clone strain accounts for 70% of rifampicin-resistant TB in Rwanda and transmits across borders How One Drug-Resistant TB Strain Quietly Crossed African Borders
This observational study analyzed 375 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Rwanda, Burundi, and public repositories.
Genomic surveillance shows that a dominant drug-resistant TB strain causing most cases in Rwanda has been quietly spreading across borders i…
medRxiv Apr 13, 2026
VPM1002 vaccine shows 50% efficacy against extrapulmonary TB in household contacts in phase 3 trial
Pediatrics RCT
VPM1002 vaccine shows 50% efficacy against extrapulmonary TB in household contacts in phase 3 trial New TB Vaccines Protect Kids From Hidden Infections
A phase 3 randomized trial in 12,717 healthy household contacts of TB patients in India compared VPM1002 and Immuvac vaccines to placebo ove…
These new shots might stop a specific, dangerous type of TB in kids, but they did not stop the most common form of the disease.
Apr 12, 2026
Metabolic profiles differ in memory T cells between TB progressors and non-progressors in Brazilian cohort
Diabetes & Endocrinology Cohort
Metabolic profiles differ in memory T cells between TB progressors and non-progressors in Brazilian cohort Your Immune System’s Hidden Fuel Source May Decide a TB Infection’s Fate
A proof-of-concept cohort study in Brazil examined immunometabolic profiles of Mtb-specific memory CD4+ T cells in individuals with remote l…
A specific cellular fuel source in memory immune cells may determine whether a person's tuberculosis infection stays silent or turns active.
Frontiers Apr 12, 2026
Contezolid Shows Lower CSF Concentrations Than Linezolid in Tuberculous Meningitis
Infectious Disease RCT
Contezolid Shows Lower CSF Concentrations Than Linezolid in Tuberculous Meningitis New Drug Reaches Brain in Tuberculosis Fight
A small randomized study in 10 tuberculous meningitis patients compared CSF concentrations of contezolid versus linezolid.
A new tuberculosis drug reaches the brain effectively and safely, offering hope for the deadliest form of the infection.
Apr 11, 2026

Questions about Tuberculosis

What factors help differentiate non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease from tuberculosis in patients?

NTM lung disease is more likely in older patients with bronchiectasis, COPD, or diabetes, and often shows thin-walled cavities on CT; TB-IGRA is usually negative in NTM.

Full answer →