ABSTRACT
I. Tuberculosis Treatment as a Public Health Measure Prompt, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for tuberculosis are the key elements in the public health response to tuberculosis and are the cornerstones of tuberculosis control (1). Effective treatment not only restores the health of the individual with the disease but, also, quickly renders the patient noninfectious and no longer a threat to the community. Thus, all providers who undertake treatment of patients with tuberculosis must recognize that not only are they treating an individual but they are assuming an important public health function that also entails a high level of responsibility to the community as well as to the individual patient (2). To discharge this responsibility, clinicians must have a sound understanding of the drugs and treatment regimens used and the ability to ensure that treatment is taken as prescribed.
