Duration of drug treatment for LTBI may be as short as 3 months -- and as long as 9 months. Treatment may involve a single drug or a combination of two drugs. Dosing depends on whether the patient is a child or an adult.
Five different regimens are currently recommended by CDC (2020):
- INH and RPT for 3 months (12 total doses, once weekly for 3 months -- At this time, this regimen has the lowest number of doses.)
- RIF alone for 4 months (120 total doses)
- INH and RIF for 3 months (90 total doses)
- INH alone for 6 months (up to 180 total doses)
- INH alone for 9 months (up to 270 total doses)
Treatment compliance begins to wane with the passing of time and number of doses. The 12-dose regimen has been touted for increasing compliance.
