Under NTEP, a newly diagnosed adult patient with sputum-positive pulmonary tuberculosis who weighs 46 kg and has no evidence of drug resistance should receive which daily regimen?

• A 2 months of HRZE followed by 4 months of HR
• B 2 months of HRZ followed by 4 months of HR
• C 6 months of HRZE throughout
• D 2 months of HRZE followed by 4 months of HRE ✓

Explanation

NTEP prescribes daily fixed dose combination therapy for all drug susceptible tuberculosis: an intensive phase of 2 months with isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol (HRZE), followed by a continuation phase of 4 months with isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol (HRE). Ethambutol is retained in the continuation phase under the daily regimen, which distinguishes option D from the older intermittent regimens where continuation was HR alone.

Reference: Guidelines for Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis in India, MoHFW, 2021 ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.