Under India's National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), a new sputum smear-positive TB case is started on treatment. The treatment regimen under the current programmatic guidelines uses which of the following drug combinations for the intensive phase?

• A Streptomycin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide (3 months)
• B Isoniazid and Rifampicin alone for 6 months
• C Bedaquiline, Linezolid, Clofazimine for 4 months
• D Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol for 2 months ✓

Explanation

Under NTEP (formerly RNTCP), the standard first-line daily regimen for new TB cases is 2HRZE/4HR — isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol for 2 months (intensive phase), followed by isoniazid and rifampicin for 4 months (continuation phase). Daily Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) weight-based dosing replaced the thrice-weekly Category I/II system. Bedaquiline-based regimens are for drug-resistant TB.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.