How effective is antibiotic treatment for latent tuberculosis infection?

Latent tuberculosis means tuberculosis bacteria are present in the body but are not causing active illness. People with latent infection typically do not have the cough, fever or weight loss associated with active disease and do not spread tuberculosis to others through everyday contact.

Preventive antibiotics act on the bacteria before they become active. The regimen may involve one medicine or a combination, taken for a clinician-selected duration. The safest choice depends on age, pregnancy, liver health, other medicines and the results of testing for active tuberculosis.

Take the medicine exactly as directed and use reminders if doses are easy to forget. Attend monitoring appointments and tell the clinician about new medicines, alcohol use, pregnancy or plans for pregnancy. Some regimens change the colour of urine or other body fluids; the clinic can explain which effects are expected.

Do not stop treatment silently because you feel well. If you miss doses or experience side effects, contact the tuberculosis service so the plan can be reviewed safely.

Contact your treatment team urgently for yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, severe nausea, persistent vomiting, unusual bleeding, marked weakness, vision changes or a widespread rash. New cough, fever, night sweats or unexplained weight loss needs prompt assessment for active tuberculosis.

Ask which regimen is planned, how long it lasts, which tests are needed before and during treatment, and which side effects require a same-day call. Check how the medicine interacts with contraception or your other prescriptions.