The most effective way in which TB is treated in the United States today is through the use of antibiotics. This treatment begins with at least four different drugs. All of these drugs have side effects. Tuberculosis page for a good overview of infection and treatment information. An unfortunate occurrence during antibiotic treatment is many people will stop taking their medication before the doctor advises they should.
People stop because they no longer feel sick and assume they are fully cured.
However the TB may become active again and may be harder to treat the second time around. MDP-TB can then be passed on in the same manner as regular TB is transmitted. There are many forms of this TB which is resistant to at least two standard drugs used to treat TB, usually they are resistant to INH and Rifampin. A few years ago most patients infected with MDR-TB were never cured, although chemotherapy was used to prolong life. Since TB is airborne there is no reliable way to stop TB infection from passing from person to person.