How is tuberculosis treated?

Tuberculosis can affect the lungs or other parts of the body. Symptoms may include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, swollen glands, unintentional weight loss or coughing up blood. Testing helps identify the infection and determine which medicines are suitable.

Treatment uses several antibiotics because tuberculosis bacteria can be difficult to eliminate and may become resistant when medicines are used incorrectly. The regimen and duration depend on the affected body site, test results, previous treatment and general health. Clinicians may monitor symptoms, blood tests and medicine side effects.

Take every dose exactly as prescribed and tell the tuberculosis team promptly if you miss doses, vomit after taking medicine or develop new symptoms. Do not stop when you feel better. Keep follow-up appointments so treatment response and side effects can be checked.

If pulmonary tuberculosis may be infectious, follow advice about masks, ventilation, close contacts and time away from shared settings. Household members may be offered screening. Do not share medicines or use antibiotics left from another illness.

Seek urgent help for severe breathlessness, chest pain, confusion, coughing up a large amount of blood, or a serious allergic reaction. Contact the treatment team quickly for yellowing skin, very dark urine, severe abdominal pain, unusual bruising, vision changes or persistent vomiting.

Ask which form of tuberculosis you have, when it is safe to return to close-contact settings, which side effects matter most, whether contacts need screening, and how treatment completion will be confirmed.