Which statement about tuberculosis treatment is accurate?

Which statement about tuberculosis treatment is accurate?

• A. It is typically treated with a regimen of multiple antibiotics over several months.
• B. It requires only a short course of a single antibiotic.
• C. It is prevented only by vaccines, not treated with antibiotics.
• D. It cannot be cured.

Answer: (A)

TB treatment relies on a multi-drug approach over several months to prevent the bacteria from developing resistance and to achieve a cure. In standard practice, treatment begins with a combination of four drugs for about two months, then continues with two drugs for an additional four to seven months, totaling roughly six months for drug-susceptible TB. This multi-drug strategy targets different bacterial populations and reduces the chance that any surviving bacteria are resistant. Short, single-drug courses fail because Mycobacterium tuberculosis grows slowly and can enter dormant states, making it easy for resistance to emerge with monotherapy. Vaccines can help prevent TB but do not cure active disease, so antibiotics are needed for treatment. With proper adherence and completion of the full regimen, TB is curable, though stopping early or not following the regimen can lead to treatment failure and resistance.

TB treatment relies on a multi-drug approach over several months to prevent the bacteria from developing resistance and to achieve a cure. In standard practice, treatment begins with a combination of four drugs for about two months, then continues with two drugs for an additional four to seven months, totaling roughly six months for drug-susceptible TB. This multi-drug strategy targets different bacterial populations and reduces the chance that any surviving bacteria are resistant. Short, single-drug courses fail because Mycobacterium tuberculosis grows slowly and can enter dormant states, making it easy for resistance to emerge with monotherapy. Vaccines can help prevent TB but do not cure active disease, so antibiotics are needed for treatment. With proper adherence and completion of the full regimen, TB is curable, though stopping early or not following the regimen can lead to treatment failure and resistance.