Tuberculosis (TB) Part 3

Other Problems to be Considered:tests) should be given a course of therapy once
Blast mycosisactive infection and disease is ruled out. Guidelines
Cat scratch diseaseo It is critical that hopitalizedpublished by the CDC in 2000 now refer to this as
patients with suspected or documented TB be placedtreatment of latent TB. The recommended regimens
in appropriate isolation. This includes a private roomare listed below:o INH daily for 9 monthso INH twice
with negative pressure and adequate air exchanges.weekly for 9 months (given as DOT)o INH daily for 6
Persons entering the room must wear masks ormonths (should not be used in patients with fibrotic
respirators capable of filtering droplet nuclei.o Patientslesions on chest radiograph, patients with HIV, or
should remain in isolation until sputum becomeschildren)o INH twice weekly for 6 months (given as
smear-negative; however, patients ordinarily shouldDOT, should not be used in patients with fibrotic
not be kept in the hospital for the sole purpose oflesions on chest radiograph, patients with HIV, or
providing isolation, Special arrangements arechildren)o Rifampin daily for 4 monthso Rifampin plus
necessary for patients who live with children,pyrazinamide daily for 2 monthso Children should be
individuals infected with HIV, patients returning to agiven INH for 9 months. In addition, children younger
closed-group setting (eg, nursing home, correctionalthan 5 years who have closed contact to an active
facilities, residential facility, homeless shelter).case of TB should be started on INH even of skin
Further Outpatient Care:o Patients diagnosed withtesting is negative; preventive therapy can be
active TB should have sputum examined for Mstopped if repeat skin testing is negative 3 months
tuberculosis weekly until sputum conversion isafter last contact with a culture positive source
documented. Monitoring for toxicity includes baselinecase.o
and periodic liver enzymes, complete blood count, andPatient exposed to MDR-TB may be given
serum creatinine.o In addition, patients onethambutol plus pyrazinamide for 6 - 12 months or
pyrazinamide should have baseline or periodic serumpyrazinamide plus levofloxacin for 6 - 12 months; the
uric acid determinations, and patients on long-termindex isolate should be susceptible to all drugs used.o
ethambutol therapy should have baseline or periodicRecommended regimens in patients with HIV
visual acuity and red-green color perception testing.infection include pyrazinamide plus rifampin daily for 2
The latter can be performed with a standard testmonths, rifampin alone daily for 4 months, or 9
such as Inhihara test for color blindness.months of INH (daily or twice weekly). Patients on
Deterrence/Prevention:o Patients with a clinicallyantiretroviral therapy may need rifabutin in place of
significant result on tuberculin skin testing (see otherrifampin.