Treatment of known or suspected drug resistant tuberculosis should be managed with the help of an expert. Patients with tuberculosis and HIV infection usually respond well to appropriate antituberculous therapy. There are significant drug interactions between RIF and protease inhibitors used in combination therapy for HIV infection. Children are treated with the same medications as adults with weight adjusted dosages. Medications for tuberculosis are usually well tolerated in children.
Patient compliance is the major determinant of treatment outcome and is difficult to predict.
Non-compliance results in treatment failure and acquired drug resistance with important therapeutic, public health, and economic implications. Directly observed therapy has been recommended for all patients and may be less costly than self- administered therapy, if treatment failures are prevented. Treatment of Tuberculous Infection Preventive therapy with INH given for 6 to 12 months is effective in decreasing the risk of reactivation of latent tuberculous infection. INH can be hepatotoxic. Preventive therapy for MDR TB contacts is controversial.