ABSTRACT
Effective chemotherapy for pulmonary tuberculosis is the most important means by which person-to-person transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is prevented; thus, treatment of tuberculosis is not only a matter of individual health but also is an important public health intervention (1). Prompt, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment are the key elements in the public health response to tuberculosis and are the cornerstones of tuberculosis control. 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 also assuming an important public health function, which entails a high level of responsibility to the community as well as to the individual patient. 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.
