Under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), a patient with pulmonary TB who is NOT a drug-resistant case is classified as 'treatment failure' if:
- A Sputum smear is positive at 2 months of treatment
- B Patient misses more than 2 consecutive doses
- C Sputum smear or culture is positive at 5 months or later during treatment ✓
- D Patient gains less than 3 kg weight by end of 2 months
Correct answer: C. Sputum smear or culture is positive at 5 months or later during treatment
Explanation
Per NTEP (aligned with WHO 2013 definitions), treatment failure is defined as a patient who is smear- or culture-positive at 5 months or later during treatment. A positive smear at 2 months alone triggers an extended initial phase but is not 'treatment failure'. Loss to follow-up is defined by interruption of treatment for 2 or more consecutive months. Weight gain is not part of treatment outcome definitions.
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.