# Tuberculosis primary care referral - Category: infectious - Review status: reviewed (every claim checked against a document named on this page) - Sources: Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, isoniazid monograph (endf-antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Once-daily therapy: 5 mg/kg/dose (usual dose: 300 mg) once daily" for adults and, for children, "10-15 mg/kg (up to 300 mg) once daily". · Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, rifampicin monograph (endf-antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Initial intensive phase: 10 mg/kg (maximum dose: 600 mg) once daily", with the paediatric weight bands "14 to <20 kg: 300 mg once daily. 20 to <25 kg: 450 mg once daily" and 600 mg once daily from 25 kg upwards. The formulary's own weight-based paediatric figure is 16 mg/kg/dose below 14 kg, one step above the 15 mg/kg used here. · Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 · WHO Operational Handbook on Tuberculosis 2022 - Verified date: 2026-08 ## Verified against - Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, isoniazid monograph (endf-antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Once-daily therapy: 5 mg/kg/dose (usual dose: 300 mg) once daily" for adults and, for children, "10-15 mg/kg (up to 300 mg) once daily". - Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, rifampicin monograph (endf-antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Initial intensive phase: 10 mg/kg (maximum dose: 600 mg) once daily", with the paediatric weight bands "14 to <20 kg: 300 mg once daily. 20 to <25 kg: 450 mg once daily" and 600 mg once daily from 25 kg upwards. The formulary's own weight-based paediatric figure is 16 mg/kg/dose below 14 kg, one step above the 15 mg/kg used here. - Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 ## Treatment metadata - Rifampicin — 300 mg — oral.solid - Isoniazid — 100 mg — oral.solid ## Complete treatment card ```text TUBERCULOSIS PRIMARY CARE REFERRAL Sources: Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, isoniazid monograph (endf- antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Once-daily therapy: 5 mg/kg/dose (usual dose: 300 mg) once daily" for adults and, for children, "10-15 mg/kg (up to 300 mg) once daily". · Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, rifampicin monograph (endf- antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Initial intensive phase: 10 mg/kg (maximum dose: 600 mg) once daily", with the paediatric weight bands "14 to <20 kg: 300 mg once daily. 20 to <25 kg: 450 mg once daily" and 600 mg once daily from 25 kg upwards. The formulary's own weight- based paediatric figure is 16 mg/kg/dose below 14 kg, one step above the 15 mg/kg used here. · Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 · WHO Operational Handbook on Tuberculosis 2022 Review status: REVIEWED against 2 sources listed above (2026-08) IS IT THIS? - reference only, to read alongside your own examination SYMPTOMS - what the patient reports (2) - A cough lasting more than 2 weeks, shortness of breath, coughing blood, chest pain, fevers, night sweats, or weight loss can indicate active disease [breathlessness · chest pain · cough · night sweats · weight loss] - Latent infection itself causes no symptoms at all SIGNS - what you find (2) - Weight loss, blood-tinged sputum, fevers, and heavy sweating can point to active disease on exam [sputum · sweating · weight loss] - Extrapulmonary signs include enlarged lymph nodes, skin changes such as erythema nodosum, pallor from anemia, and meningeal, peritoneal, or joint involvement [anaemia · lymphadenopathy · pallor · redness] TESTS (7) - No single test can reliably tell active disease apart from latent infection - The tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma blood test detect immune exposure but can't diagnose active disease - culture or molecular testing is needed for that - About half of people with past exposure show no reaction on skin testing - The interferon-gamma blood test, unlike the skin test, does not cross-react with prior BCG vaccination or most nontuberculous mycobacteria - A normal chest x-ray in a patient with no symptoms is usually enough to exclude active disease - Finding the organism on a sputum sample confirms active infection and means the patient can spread it and needs isolation - Disease confined outside the lungs is not contagious to others IF NOT THIS - what else fits (5) - Active disease is excluded when the patient has no TB symptoms and a normal chest x-ray - A previously treated or already-resolved infection can also show a positive skin or blood test - Prior BCG vaccination can cause a false-positive skin test, mimicking infection - Nontuberculous mycobacterial exposure can also cause a false-positive skin test - Silicosis, malignancy, sarcoidosis, autoimmune disease, and other infections can mimic this on chest imaging Source StatPearls "Latent Tuberculosis" - disease-level clinical article Status traced to the source above !! MULTI-DRUG REGIMEN - all 2 drugs are given TOGETHER. Not a choice between them. !! the regimen: Rifampicin + Isoniazid 1. RIFAMPICIN [1 of 2 - GIVE ALL TOGETHER] Adult 10 mg/kg once daily (usually 450-600 mg once daily on empty stomach) x 6 months total regimen (under National TB Program supervision) Peds 15 mg/kg/day [child max 600 mg] (15 mg/kg once daily under National TB Program supervision) 3kg -> 45 mg/day 4kg -> 60 mg/day 5kg -> 75 mg/day 6kg -> 90 mg/day 7kg -> 105 mg/day 8kg -> 120 mg/day 9kg -> 135 mg/day 10kg -> 150 mg/day 11kg -> 165 mg/day 12kg -> 180 mg/day 13kg -> 195 mg/day 14kg -> 210 mg/day 15kg -> 225 mg/day 16kg -> 240 mg/day 17kg -> 255 mg/day 18kg -> 270 mg/day 19kg -> 285 mg/day 20kg -> 300 mg/day 21kg -> 315 mg/day 22kg -> 330 mg/day 23kg -> 345 mg/day 24kg -> 360 mg/day 25kg -> 375 mg/day 26kg -> 390 mg/day 27kg -> 405 mg/day 28kg -> 420 mg/day 29kg -> 435 mg/day 30kg -> 450 mg/day 31kg -> 465 mg/day 32kg -> 480 mg/day 33kg -> 495 mg/day 34kg -> 510 mg/day 35kg -> 525 mg/day 36kg -> 540 mg/day 37kg -> 555 mg/day 38kg -> 570 mg/day 39kg -> 585 mg/day 40kg -> 600 mg/day 41kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 42kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 43kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 44kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 45kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 46kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 47kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 48kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 49kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) 50kg -> 600 mg/day (capped) Source Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, rifampicin monograph (endf-antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Initial intensive phase: 10 mg/kg (maximum dose: 600 mg) once daily", with the paediatric weight bands "14 to <20 kg: 300 mg once daily. 20 to <25 kg: 450 mg once daily" and 600 mg once daily from 25 kg upwards. The formulary's own weight-based paediatric figure is 16 mg/kg/dose below 14 kg, one step above the 15 mg/kg used here. Why Essential bactericidal component of standard 4-drug fixed-dose TB regimen Caution REFERRAL MANDATORY: All suspected TB cases must be reported to Chest Clinic / NTP. Causes orange-red discoloration of body fluids (urine, tears, sweat). Rifampicin is a potent hepatic enzyme inducer; monitor liver function tests at baseline and monthly. Egypt RIFAMPIN 300MG 10 CAPS. ARAB CAPS 8.00 EGP (0.80/unit) RIFABIOTIC 300 MG 8 CAPS. CID 8.00 EGP (1.00/unit) RIFAMPICIN 300MG 8 CAPS. EL NASR 9.50 EGP (1.19/unit) RIFAMPIN 300MG 8 CAPS (MISR) MISR 9.50 EGP (1.19/unit) RIMACTANE 300MG 8 CAPS. NOVARTIS 10.10 EGP (1.26/unit) RIFAMPIN 300MG 10 CAPS. (DEBEIKY) DEBEIKY 38.50 EGP (3.85/unit) RIFACTINE 300 MG 8 CAPS. MUP 31.00 EGP (3.88/unit) RIFAMOX 100MG/5ML 30GM SUSP. EL NASR 4.50 EGP -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid RIFAM 100MG/5ML 60ML SUSP. PHARCO 7.00 EGP -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid 2. ISONIAZID [2 of 2 - GIVE ALL TOGETHER] Adult 5 mg/kg once daily (usually 300 mg once daily on empty stomach) x 6 months total regimen (under NTP supervision) Peds 10 mg/kg/day [child max 300 mg] (10 mg/kg once daily under National TB Program supervision) 3kg -> 30 mg/day 4kg -> 40 mg/day 5kg -> 50 mg/day 6kg -> 60 mg/day 7kg -> 70 mg/day 8kg -> 80 mg/day 9kg -> 90 mg/day 10kg -> 100 mg/day 11kg -> 110 mg/day 12kg -> 120 mg/day 13kg -> 130 mg/day 14kg -> 140 mg/day 15kg -> 150 mg/day 16kg -> 160 mg/day 17kg -> 170 mg/day 18kg -> 180 mg/day 19kg -> 190 mg/day 20kg -> 200 mg/day 21kg -> 210 mg/day 22kg -> 220 mg/day 23kg -> 230 mg/day 24kg -> 240 mg/day 25kg -> 250 mg/day 26kg -> 260 mg/day 27kg -> 270 mg/day 28kg -> 280 mg/day 29kg -> 290 mg/day 30kg -> 300 mg/day 31kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 32kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 33kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 34kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 35kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 36kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 37kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 38kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 39kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 40kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 41kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 42kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 43kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 44kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 45kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 46kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 47kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 48kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 49kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) 50kg -> 300 mg/day (capped) Source Egyptian MOH National Tuberculosis Control Program 2022 for the programme regimen, with the dose from Egyptian National Drug Formulary - Antimicrobial 2023, isoniazid monograph (endf-antimicrobial-2023.txt): "Once-daily therapy: 5 mg/kg/dose (usual dose: 300 mg) once daily" for adults and, for children, "10-15 mg/kg (up to 300 mg) once daily". Why Core bactericidal agent paired with rifampicin in short-course chemotherapy Caution REFERRAL MANDATORY: Report all active cases to Egyptian Ministry of Health NTP. There is a risk of peripheral neuropathy - co-prescribe pyridoxine (vitamin B6) 10-25 mg daily. Monitor for hepatotoxicity (nausea, dark urine, jaundice). Egypt T.B.ZIDE 100MG 50 TAB. EL NASR 13.50 EGP (0.27/unit) ISOCID 100MG 20 TAB. CID 9.00 EGP (0.45/unit) ISONIAZID 0.6G/60ML DRY POWDER FOR SYRUP 60ML MISR 3.25 EGP -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy. ``` --- Dawaa Reference is a reference for prescribers, not a medical device, and does not replace clinical judgement. [Privacy policy](/privacy)