Treatment

Continuation phase

Second period of tuberculosis treatment, after the initial phase, during which treatment is maintained with a reduced number of anti-tuberculosis drugs.

A person with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis at the beginning of treatment who completed treatment as recommended by the national policy, with evidence of bacteriological response and no evidence of failure.

Community- or home-based directly observed therapy (DOT)

DOT delivered in the community close to the patient’s home or workplace.

Adherence

Extent to which a person’s behaviour (e.g. taking medicines, following a particular diet, changing lifestyle) corresponds with agreed recommendations from a health care provider. The threshold for determining if a patient has been adherent to treatment varies according to different tuberculosis treatment and preventive regimens.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-associated tuberculosis

Tuberculosis diagnosed during antiretroviral treatment in an HIV-positive patient that is not receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment when ART is initiated.

Sustained treatment success (treatment outcome)

An individual assessed at 6 months (for drug-resistant tuberculosis and drug-susceptible tuberculosis) and at 12 months (for drug-resistant tuberculosis only) after successful tuberculosis treatment, who is alive and without signs or symptoms of tuberculosis. This term is to be used in operational research only.

Retreatment regimen

A regimen of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs given to a person with tuberculosis whose previous treatment has failed. It may also be given for cases returning after loss to follow up (having had at least 4 weeks of treatment) and relapse cases after an initial first-line treatment regimen.

Treatment

TB DICTIONARY

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