Breaking the chain of TB: Treatment compliance and public health safety.

Tuberculosis (TB) treatment consists of two phases: the intensive phase, which lasts for two months, and the continuation phase, which lasts for four months. 

During the intensive phase, patients receive a combination of four antibiotics: 

rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. 

This phase aims to rapidly reduce the bacterial load, preventing disease progression and transmission. 

The continuation phase, which includes isoniazid and rifampicin, helps eliminate any remaining bacteria to ensure a complete cure and prevent relapse.

Even if you start feeling better, do not stop taking your anti-TB medicationuntil you have completed the full course. 

Stopping early can lead to drug-resistant TB and increase the risk of relapse. 

For optimal absorption, TB medication should be taken on an empty stomach—either one hour before a meal or two hours after. 

This ensures the drugs are properly absorbed and remain effective in fighting the infection.

Anti-TB medications can cause side effects, which may include epigastric discomfort, skin rashes, darkening of the skin with sun exposure, blurred vision, flu-like symptoms, decreased platelet count, and liver damage—the latter of which can sometimes be severe or even fatal. 

If you experience any side effects while taking your medication, contact your doctor immediately so they can adjust your treatment if necessary.

It is strictly prohibited to consume alcohol while on anti-TB medication, as it can reduce the drug’s effectiveness and significantly increase the risk of liver damage.

If you have tuberculosis (TB), especially with a positive sputum test, it is crucial to isolate yourself to prevent spreading the infection.

TB is classified into two types:

1.  Clinically diagnosed TB – when a patient has TB symptoms, but their sputum test is negative.

2. Bacteriologically diagnosed TB – when TB is confirmed through a positive sputum test. Patients with clinically diagnosed TB have a lower bacterial load and are generally no longer infectious after seven days of anti-TB treatment, allowing them to return to work. However, those with bacteriologically diagnosed TB, having a higher bacterial load, must continue isolation until a repeat sputum test confirms they are no longer infectious.

TB treatment is available for free at our TB-DOTS center.