What is the second phase of TB treatment called?

What is the second phase of TB treatment called?

• A. Maintenance phase
• B. Continuation phase
• C. Consolidation phase
• D. Recovery phase

Answer: (B)

The second phase is the continuation phase. After the initial intensive phase uses four drugs to rapidly reduce the bacterial load, the continuation phase finishes off the remaining bacilli with a simpler regimen over several months. In drug-susceptible TB, this is typically four months of isoniazid and rifampicin, with the other drugs stopped after the intensive phase. This phase aims to eradicate leftover organisms and prevent relapse while keeping the regimen tolerable. Other terms like maintenance, consolidation, or recovery aren’t used to describe the standard TB second phase.

The second phase is the continuation phase. After the initial intensive phase uses four drugs to rapidly reduce the bacterial load, the continuation phase finishes off the remaining bacilli with a simpler regimen over several months. In drug-susceptible TB, this is typically four months of isoniazid and rifampicin, with the other drugs stopped after the intensive phase. This phase aims to eradicate leftover organisms and prevent relapse while keeping the regimen tolerable. Other terms like maintenance, consolidation, or recovery aren’t used to describe the standard TB second phase.