What is the treatment for TB?
Latent TB is usually treated with one medication for several months. An evaluation of each patient is needed to determine the specific treatment that is best for you. Individuals with active TB usually receive several different types of medications for several months. Individuals with active TB in their lungs need to be kept away from other people until they are no longer at risk of spreading TB.
Treatment for TB depends on whether a person has TB disease or only TB infection. A person who has become infected with TB, but does not have TB disease, may be given preventive therapy. Preventive therapy aims to kill germs that are not doing any damage right now, but could break out later. If a doctor decides a person should have preventive therapy, the usual prescription is a daily dose of isoniazid (also called “INH”), an inexpensive TB medicine. The person takes INH for six months (up to a year for some patients), with periodic checkups to make sure the medicine is being taken as prescribed. What if the person has TB disease? Then treatment is needed. Years ago a patient with TB disease was placed in a special hospital for months, maybe even years, and would often have surgery. Today, TB can be treated with very effective drugs. Often the patient will only have to stay a short time in the hospital and can then continue taking medication at home. Sometimes the patient will not have
• A person with TB infection is prescribed medication for several months to prevent the development of active TB disease. • People with active TB disease are given medications for six months or more. • Regular follow-up by TB clinic staff and directly observed therapy (DOT) are part of the treatment plan as well.
