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October 4th, 2024

Middlesex-London Health Unit Updates Community on Status of Legionella Outbreak

The local outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease, declared by the Middlesex-London Health Unit in…

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Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a Heat Warning for London and Middlesex County…

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Middlesex-London Health Unit Continues Investigation Of Outbreak Of Legionnaires' Disease

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The Middlesex-London Health Unit is reporting the first locally-acquired human case of West Nile…

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Medication for Tuberculosis (TB)

There are many different medications that can be used to treat TB. The length of the treatment can depend on whether you have inactive or active TB.

 

Table of Contents

Do I have to take TB medicine?

  • Active TB
    Medicines must be taken to get better and to stop the spread of TB to others.
  • Inactive TB
    Taking medicine is not mandatory, but it is usually a good idea because it can lower the risk of you getting sick with active TB in the future. Certain long term medical conditions make the chances of you getting sick with active TB much higher. This makes taking medicine to prevent active TB even more important. 

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Dumping pills from bottle into hand

 

Collection of pills
 

How long do I need to take medicine for TB?

  • Active TB
    Treatment for active TB can take up to two years (average is 6 months). Up to four different kinds of medicines must be taken daily. You may need to be isolated and stay away from other people for a while so you do not spread TB to others.
  • Inactive TB
    Your doctor may suggest that you take one or more medicines every day for up to 9 months to help prevent you from developing active TB in the future.
  • [Treatment Facts] Tuberculosis can be prevented with medication (PDF)

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What medications are used to treat TB?

Depending on whether you have been diagnosed with active TB or inactive TB, you may need to take one or more of the following medications:

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Who is inactive TB treatment recommended for?

Anyone with inactive TB can take TB medication to lower the chance of getting sick with active TB in the future. Talk to your doctor to see if inactive TB treatment is recommended for you.

Inactive TB treatment is especially important for...

People who have:

  • any medical condition that affects their immune system (e.g. HIV or Diabetes)
  • been recently exposed to someone with active TB

People who:

  • are immigrants, refugees or travelers from areas with lots of TB
  • work at, or are residents of, health care facilities, homeless shelters, or correctional facilities  
  • are taking medication that can weaken the immune system (e.g. corticosteroids) or are underweight (weigh less than 90% of ideal body weight)

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Will I have to pay for TB medication?

No, TB medication is available for free from the health unit. Your doctor needs to order TB medication from the Middlesex-London Health Unit and have it sent to their office. 

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Date of creation: February 27, 2013
Last modified on: October 31, 2022
 
 

References

1Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Lung Association/Canadian Thoracic Society. Canadian Tuberculosis Standards, 8th Edition 2022 Retrieved from
https://www.linksmedicus.com/news/canadian-tuberculosis-standards-8th-edition/