Bovine Tuberculosis Treatment

Due to eradication efforts made by government agencies, bovine tuberculosis is very rare in humans in the United States.
When a person does contract the disease, usually by drinking unpasteurized milk, it is treated the same as other forms of tuberculosis, or TB.

Treatment Overview

• Because TB cells die slowly, treatment can take from six to nine months.
  TB is also adept at developing a tolerance to medications, so your treatment will consist of a few months on one type of antibiotic and then switching to another.
  While most TB patients are no longer admitted into the hospital for treatment, it is possible that your doctor will ask that you come in for an office visit to take your medication.
  This is because missing doses can greatly impact the likelihood that the bovine TB will develop a resistance to that medication, making treatment more difficult.

Rifater

• Standard TB treatment begins with two months of taking the drug Rifater. Rifater is the brand name; generic forms include, rifampin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide.
  It is common for people taking Rifater to develop a red or orange tint in their body secretions, including urine, sweat and tears.
  Rifater also reacts easily with food and many other medications. It needs to be taken on an empty stomach one hour before or two hours after eating.
  The most common serious complication with this drug is liver problems. People taking Rifater should watch for jaundice, vomiting, nausea and exhaustion. Any side effects should be immediately reported to a doctor.

Rifampin and Isoniazid

• The remaining four months of treatment usually consists of a combination of rifampin and isoniazid. The red or orange tint in body secretions will go away with this drug mix, but the potential for serious liver complications persists. This medication is taken on the same empty stomach guidelines as Rifater, and antacids should still be avoided.