What is the preferred length of treatment for TB disease?

What is the preferred length of treatment for TB disease?

RIPE regimens for treating TB disease have an intensive phase of 2 months, followed by a continuation phase of either 4 or 7 months (total of 6 to 9 months for treatment). This is the preferred regimen for patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary TB.

What is the minimum duration of treatment of drug sensitive TB?

Duration of treatment with the current first-line anti-TB drugs is a minimum of 6 months. Reducing the duration of the treatment from six to two months or less could result in significant increase of adherence to treatment and cost reduction.

How long does treatment for resistant TB usually last?

Treatment of MDR-TB lasts for a long duration of approximately 2 years and consists of a combination of multiple second-line drugs, which are more expensive, less effective, and more toxic than the first-line drugs. Therefore, treatment outcomes for MDR-TB are poor, with a success rate of approximately 54% [2].

Why is treatment for TB 6 months?

After taking antibiotics for 2 weeks, most people are no longer infectious and feel better. However, it’s important to continue taking your medicine exactly as prescribed and to complete the whole course of antibiotics. Taking medication for 6 months is the best way to ensure the TB bacteria are killed.

Can drug-resistant TB cured?

In most cases, TB is treatable and curable; however, people with TB can die if they do not get proper treatment. Sometimes drug-resistant TB occurs when bacteria become resistant to the drugs used to treat TB. This means that the drug can no longer kill the TB bacteria.

Can TB be cured in 6 months?

People with TB disease need to take several medicines when they start treatment. After taking TB medicine for several weeks, a doctor will be able to tell TB patients when they are no longer able to spread TB germs to others. Most people with TB disease will need to take TB medicine for at least 6 months to be cured.

How do I know my TB is cured?

Testing at 5 or 7 months will show if the patient has been cured of TB. It is a wonderful achievement when the patient completes the full course of medication but proof of cure must be obtained through the patient giving that final sputum.

When is the best time to take TB medication?

The medications work best if they are taken all together one hour before, or two hours after, food and preferably with water. Ideally, the medications should be taken at the same time each day. For patients who have nausea, the medications can be taken with light food (eg, dry toast).