Three Months of Rifapentine and Isoniazid for Latent Tuberculosis Infection

PROF DRRAM,HIV /AIDS,HEPATITIS ,SEX DISEASES & WEAKNESS expert,New Delhi,India, profdrram@gmail.com,+917838059592,+919832025033,ON WHATSAPP

Latent Tubercular Infection is that TB infection which may develop in full blown Active TB if not treated properly in initial stage but as such donot show sigh and symptoms of disease or even can spread TB to others as found in Babies of Mothers with TB or patients of HIV r close contacts f TB patients as family mebers or health staff or nearby persons.Treatment of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is an essential component of tuberculosis control and elimination. The current standard regimen of isoniazid for 9 months is efficacious but is limited by toxicity and low rates of treatment completion.But a flowing new study has established that Three Months of Rifapentine and Isoniazid is very effective to control  Latent Tuberculosis Infection

         Tuberculosis results in nearly 2 million deaths annually worldwide. More than 2 billion persons are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and from this reservoir active tuberculosis will develop in millions of persons in coming decades. Treatment of latent M. tuberculosis infection among the persons at highest risk for progression to active disease is an important strategy for tuberculosis control and elimination.The current standard regimen for the treatment of latent M. tuberculosis infection is 9 months of daily isoniazid.3 The efficacy for isoniazid was found to be 69 to 93% in a study that was published in 1982 (before the era of widespread infection with the human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]). However, the effectiveness of isoniazid is limited by treatment completion rates of 30 to 64%, owing in part to the long duration of the regimen.Toxic effects of the drug, especially hepatic, are also a concern.3 A 2-month regimen of rifampin and pyrazinamide was shown to be as effective as isoniazid but has not been recommended owing to increased rates of severe hepatotoxicity.

               Rifapentine, a rifamycin derivative with a long half-life and greater potency against M. tuberculosis than rifampin, has shown promise for treating latent tuberculosis in animal models.  Since weekly rifapentine and isoniazid are effective in the continuation phase of tuberculosis treatment in patients with a low bacillary burden.In this study it was found that  that a 3-month course of these agents is effective for treating latent M. tuberculosis. A shortened course of intermittent treatment would also be more convenient for both patients and public-health programs responsible for ensuring treatment completion