Sister chromatid exchanges in the lymphocytes of tuberculosis patients receiving short-term chemotherapy

The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges was estimated in tuberculosis patients undergoing three different short term chemotherapy regimens (2SHRZ, 2HRZ and 2H2R2Z2), to evaluate the possible genetic damage caused by anti-tuberculous drugs. Of the three combinations studied, two combinations (2SHRZ and 2HRZ), which were administered daily, enhanced the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges significantly (p less than 0.05), while the third bi-weekly combination (2H2R2Z2) did not show any significant enhancement in the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges. These results are of importance in the treatment of tuberculosis, and indicate the need to select a drug combination that is equally efficient in the control of disease and at the same time less harmful to the genome of the patient.