An inexpensive alternative to para-aminsosalicylic acid and much less bulky was thioacetazone.  The results with a 12-month regimen of isoniazid plus thioacetazone, supplemented by streptomycin during the first two months became the standard treatment regimen in many low-income countries and gave fairly good results.

In the more recent past information has accumulated that this regimen gives a high frequency of relapses in HIV infected patients and is additionally associated with a high frequency of serious adverse drug events.  The regimen is thus being abandoned in an increasing number of countries.

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