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Treatment

Treatment for TB

Treatment for tuberculosis consists of taking specific antibiotics for at least 6 months.
It is important to take the antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your doctor and to follow the treatment through to the end, even if you start feeling better. Stopping treatment too early can lead to TB becoming active again.

TB can be cured

If treatment is followed as prescribed, most people diagnosed with TBC can expect to be cured—meaning they can return to a normal life, and their working capacity can be restored.

You should not feel ashamed or stigmatized if you become infected with TB – it is a medical problem that can affect anyone, and with appropriate treatment most people can be cured

Impact and outcomes of TBC
In addition to its effects on health, tuberculosis often leads to reduced ability to work, especially if it is not treated. There is also a risk of transmission to family members and loved ones.

The course of tuberculosis ranges from full recovery with appropriate antibiotic treatment (82–90% treatment success) to severe, long‑term damage or even death if it is not treated, especially in the case of drug‑resistant tuberculosis. 

Although many infections remain latent, tuberculosis can cause permanent lung damage, spread to other organs (bones, brain) and can be fatal – mortality can reach around 50% of cases that are not on treatment.

Benefits for patients on TBC treatment
Diagnosis and care for TB are free of charge for all people in Romania, regardless of health insurance status:
Diagnostic investigations are free of charge.
People who have been diagnosed with TB are entitled to free health insurance for the duration of treatment.
Treatment and follow‑up are free of charge.
Patients are entitled to sick leave and meal vouchers.

Drug-resistant TBC

Some types of TB bacteria have become resistant to treatment, meaning that medicines which once cured the disease no longer work. 

This situation is partly due to natural genetic changes (mutations) in the bacteria. A random change can allow a bacterium to survive an antibiotic. If it survives, it can multiply and drug‑resistant TB can spread. When antibiotics are not used correctly – or when bacteria are not eliminated by treatment for other reasons – the remaining bacteria can survive and multiply. This creates ideal conditions for the development of more resistant bacilli. 

Therefore,
it is important to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed in your treatment plan and to follow the treatment until the end,
even if you start feeling better
Vaccination against TB

There is a vaccine against TB called the BCG vaccine. In Romania, the BCG vaccine is given to newborns in the first days of life, according to the national vaccination schedule, and protects against severe forms of tuberculosis in infants and young children. 

Other TBC prevention measures

The following measures can reduce the risk of TB infection:
Ventilation
Improve air circulation at home and at work to reduce the concentration of bacteria in the air.
Respiratory hygiene
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough into your elbow.
Wearing masks
Use a mask in crowded, poorly ventilated areas, or when you are in contact with a person with active TB.
Nutrition
A balanced diet can support the immune system.

Preventing spread from people with active TB:

People with contagious TB should limit close contact (especially in enclosed spaces) during the first weeks of treatment, according to medical advice. After the first 2–3 weeks of treatment, the risk of transmitting TB bacilli decreases greatly. Completing the full course of prescribed treatment is essential for curing TB and preventing drug‑resistant TB.