If you have a latent TB infection, you may need medicine to prevent getting TB disease later. One or more drugs are used to treat latent TB infection. It is important that you take your medicine exactly as your doctor or healthcare worker tells you.
It is very important that you finish the medicine, and take the drugs exactly as you are told. If you stop taking the drugs too soon, you can become sick again. If you do not take the drugs correctly, the germs that are still alive may become difficult to treat with those drugs. If you have TB disease, it takes between six months and possibly as long as one year to kill all the TB germs.
If you have active TB disease, you need at least six months of treatment or longer depending on your doctor's evaulation.
People witha ctive TB need to protect their family and friends from Tb by minimizing or avoiding mixing with people during the first few weeks of their treatment. They should also cover their nose during coughing or sneezing and spit into a tissue. The most important way to prevent disease transmission is to treat the active TB disease and have a well ventilated area.
