Abstract

For 10 years the World Health Organisation has had a single answer to the deadly threat of tuberculosis (TB)—provide treatment to smear positive patients and watch them take it. In contrast with confident statements about how global TB would be brought under control when directly observed therapy, short course (DOTS) was introduced, TB continues to rise worldwide. The introduction of selected multiple drug resistant TB treatment programmes, “DOTS-Plus”, although important, also focuses on therapy for active TB. HIV endemic countries in particular have experienced tremendous increases in TB despite having DOTS programmes. A critical review of recent epidemiological data and computer models shows that the present international strategy of concentrating on providing treatment for smear positive TB, DOTS and DOTS-Plus, is likely to have only a modest impact on population based TB control. Effective global TB control will require strategies that go beyond relying on treatment of people with active disease.