ALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES/ CALIFORNIA TUBERCULOSIS CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION JOINT GUIDELINES Guidelines for the Treatment of Active Tuberculosis Disease The following guidelines have been developed by the California Department of Health Services, Tuberculosis Control Branch, in consultation with the Executive Committee of the California Tuberculosis Controllers Association. These guidelines are official state recommendations and have been endorsed by the California Tuberculosis Controllers Association. The treatment of active tuberculosis (TB) patients with effective anti-TB chemotherapy is the highest priority in TB control. Successful treatment benefits both the patient and the public at large, as infectious cases are cured and sources of infection are removed from the community. California state health and safety laws (Health and Safety Code Sections 121365-121369) provide the legal framework to support or mandate completion of therapy in order to safeguard the public’s health when less restrictive measures have failed. Poor treatment outcomes are often the result of ineffective drug regimens and/or poor patient adherence to medication. Promoting the use of effective chemotherapy, directly observed therapy (DOT), and case management is necessary for treatment to be successful. The California Tuberculosis Controllers Association (CTCA) and the California Department of Health Services (CDHS), Tuberculosis Control Branch, have jointly developed the following guidelines for the treatment of TB disease. By providing these official state recommendations, we hope to provide a useful tool for those involved in the treatment of TB disease. No set of guidelines can cover all individual treatment situations. When questions on individual situations not covered by these guidelines do arise, consult with the Local TB Control Program or the California Department of Health Services, TB Control Branch, for further information.