Tuberculosis (TB)

Medications

Active tuberculosis (TB)

Several antibiotics are used at the same time to treat active tuberculosis (TB) disease. For people who have multidrug-resistant TB, treatment may continue for as long as 24 months. These antibiotics are given as pills or injections.

Extrapulmonary TB

TB disease that occurs outside the lungs (extrapulmonary TB) usually is treated with the same medications and for the same length of time as active TB in the lungs (pulmonary TB). However, TB throughout the body (miliary TB) or TB that affects the brain or the bones and joints in children may be treated for at least 12 months.

Corticosteroid medications also may be given in some severe cases to reduce inflammation. They may be helpful for children at risk of central nervous system problems caused by TB and for people who have conditions such as high fever, TB throughout the body (miliary TB), pericarditis, or peritonitis.

Latent TB

One antibiotic usually is used to treat latent TB infection, which cannot be spread to others but can develop into active TB disease. The antibiotic is taken for 4 to 9 months.¹

Medication Choices

Multiple-drug therapy to treat TB usually involves taking four antibiotics at the same time. This is the standard treatment for active TB. The four most commonly chosen medications are:⁷

• Isoniazid.
• Rifampin (Rifadin).
• Pyrazinamide.
• Ethambutol (Etibi).

Doctors sometimes use other medicines if treatment isn't effective or the person is infected with drug-resistant TB bacteria. Other medication choices include:⁸

• Rifapentine (Priftin).
• Streptomycin.
• Ethionamide.
• Levofloxacin (Levaquin).
• Amikacin.
• Moxifloxacin (Avelox, Vigamox).

What To Think About

It is important to take all doses of the treatment medications. This ensures a cure and reduces the risk of a relapse of the disease and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It will also help prevent the spread of TB to people around you.

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS Merrill Hayden	Last Updated: July 25, 2007
Medical Review:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Alfred A. Lardizabal, MD - Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine/Tuberculosis Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
© 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.