Dawaa Reference

infectious

Tuberculosis primary care referral

Treatment options, dosing, cautions and Egyptian brands from the shipped Dawaa Reference card.

Evidence status

Checked against the sources named below

Sources4 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 against3 documents
  • 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

Verified date2026-08

Presentation reference

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

SourceStatPearls "Latent Tuberculosis" - disease-level clinical article

Presentation findings are traced to the source above.

Combination safety

Combination regimens

!! MULTI-DRUG REGIMEN - all 2 drugs are given TOGETHER. Not a choice between them.

!! the regimen: Rifampicin + Isoniazid

1

RIFAMPICIN

Regimen: tb-standard-regimen

1 of 2 - GIVE ALL TOGETHER

Strength300 mg

Formoral.solid

Adult dose and duration

10 mg/kg once daily (usually 450-600 mg once daily on empty stomach) x 6 months total regimen (under National TB Program supervision)

Paediatric dose

15 mg/kg/day [child max 600 mg]

(15 mg/kg once daily under National TB Program supervision)

Dose by weight
3kg45 mg/day
4kg60 mg/day
5kg75 mg/day
6kg90 mg/day
7kg105 mg/day
8kg120 mg/day
9kg135 mg/day
10kg150 mg/day
11kg165 mg/day
12kg180 mg/day
13kg195 mg/day
14kg210 mg/day
15kg225 mg/day
16kg240 mg/day
17kg255 mg/day
18kg270 mg/day
19kg285 mg/day
20kg300 mg/day
21kg315 mg/day
22kg330 mg/day
23kg345 mg/day
24kg360 mg/day
25kg375 mg/day
26kg390 mg/day
27kg405 mg/day
28kg420 mg/day
29kg435 mg/day
30kg450 mg/day
31kg465 mg/day
32kg480 mg/day
33kg495 mg/day
34kg510 mg/day
35kg525 mg/day
36kg540 mg/day
37kg555 mg/day
38kg570 mg/day
39kg585 mg/day
40kg600 mg/day
41kg600 mg/day (capped)
42kg600 mg/day (capped)
43kg600 mg/day (capped)
44kg600 mg/day (capped)
45kg600 mg/day (capped)
46kg600 mg/day (capped)
47kg600 mg/day (capped)
48kg600 mg/day (capped)
49kg600 mg/day (capped)
50kg600 mg/day (capped)
Dose 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

Cautions
  • 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.
Egyptian brands
Egyptian brandManufacturerIndicative price
RIFAMPIN 300MG 10 CAPS.ARAB CAPS8.00 EGP (0.80/unit)
RIFABIOTIC 300 MG 8 CAPS.CID8.00 EGP (1.00/unit)
RIFAMPICIN 300MG 8 CAPS.EL NASR9.50 EGP (1.19/unit)
RIFAMPIN 300MG 8 CAPS (MISR)MISR9.50 EGP (1.19/unit)
RIMACTANE 300MG 8 CAPS.NOVARTIS10.10 EGP (1.26/unit)
RIFAMPIN 300MG 10 CAPS. (DEBEIKY)DEBEIKY38.50 EGP (3.85/unit)
RIFACTINE 300 MG 8 CAPS.MUP31.00 EGP (3.88/unit)
RIFAMOX 100MG/5ML 30GM SUSP.? strength differs? different route - not oral solidEL NASR4.50 EGP
RIFAM 100MG/5ML 60ML SUSP.? strength differs? different route - not oral solidPHARCO7.00 EGP
2

ISONIAZID

Regimen: tb-standard-regimen

2 of 2 - GIVE ALL TOGETHER

Strength100 mg

Formoral.solid

Adult dose and duration

5 mg/kg once daily (usually 300 mg once daily on empty stomach) x 6 months total regimen (under NTP supervision)

Paediatric dose

10 mg/kg/day [child max 300 mg]

(10 mg/kg once daily under National TB Program supervision)

Dose by weight
3kg30 mg/day
4kg40 mg/day
5kg50 mg/day
6kg60 mg/day
7kg70 mg/day
8kg80 mg/day
9kg90 mg/day
10kg100 mg/day
11kg110 mg/day
12kg120 mg/day
13kg130 mg/day
14kg140 mg/day
15kg150 mg/day
16kg160 mg/day
17kg170 mg/day
18kg180 mg/day
19kg190 mg/day
20kg200 mg/day
21kg210 mg/day
22kg220 mg/day
23kg230 mg/day
24kg240 mg/day
25kg250 mg/day
26kg260 mg/day
27kg270 mg/day
28kg280 mg/day
29kg290 mg/day
30kg300 mg/day
31kg300 mg/day (capped)
32kg300 mg/day (capped)
33kg300 mg/day (capped)
34kg300 mg/day (capped)
35kg300 mg/day (capped)
36kg300 mg/day (capped)
37kg300 mg/day (capped)
38kg300 mg/day (capped)
39kg300 mg/day (capped)
40kg300 mg/day (capped)
41kg300 mg/day (capped)
42kg300 mg/day (capped)
43kg300 mg/day (capped)
44kg300 mg/day (capped)
45kg300 mg/day (capped)
46kg300 mg/day (capped)
47kg300 mg/day (capped)
48kg300 mg/day (capped)
49kg300 mg/day (capped)
50kg300 mg/day (capped)
Dose 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

Cautions
  • 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).
Egyptian brands
Egyptian brandManufacturerIndicative price
T.B.ZIDE 100MG 50 TAB.EL NASR13.50 EGP (0.27/unit)
ISOCID 100MG 20 TAB.CID9.00 EGP (0.45/unit)
ISONIAZID 0.6G/60ML DRY POWDER FOR SYRUP 60ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidMISR3.25 EGP

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.