Treatment
TB disease is very serious for the sick person and for others. Appropriate treatment is vital so that the ill person recovers and so that they stop being infectious.
Most people with TB disease will start off taking 4 different antibiotics. Most people take medicine for 6 to 9 months.
Why do I have to take all this medication?
TB can develop resistance to specific antibiotics. By taking several different antibiotics simultaneously, the risk of this occurring is diminished.
Why do I have to take this medicine for such a long time?
It is important to be sure that the TB bacteria is completely wiped out. It takes months of treatment to be sure that this happens.
When will the medicine make me non-infectious?
The amount of time varies with each individual. Some people become non-infectious after 2 to 4 weeks of antibiotics. Others remain infectious for months. The only way to know when you aren't infectious is to have your sputum checked for the bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) considers a person with TB disease non-infectious after they have 3 consecutive sputums smears which are clear of bacteria that look like Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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Intake Nurse:
(608) 266-4821
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