Approach to treatment of children with pulmonary tuberculosis (known or presumed drug susceptible)

CDC: United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; TB: tuberculosis; WHO: World Health Organization.

* The shortened (4-month regimen) may be used for treatment for nonsevere, smear-negative, presumed drug-susceptible disease (defined as pulmonary TB confined to one lobe). Exclusions include cavitary disease, miliary TB, complex pleural effusion, and clinically significant airway obstruction. For children with peripheral lymph node involvement, the duration of therapy may be guided by clinical evaluation; for patients with persistent adenopathy after four months of treatment, extension of treatment duration to six months is reasonable.

¶ While some favor rifapentine-moxifloxacin-based 4-month regimen over the traditional regimen given the shorter duration, others favor the traditional regimen pending further outcome data with the rifapentine-moxifloxacin-based 4-month regimen.