To kill the bacteria that cause tuberculosis is a time consuming process. Therefore, it is mandatory to start the treatment at the earliest. The drug combinations that are required to treat tuberculosis are namely ethambutol, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampicin and streptomycin.

Usually, during the course of treatment, approximately 90 percent of the bacteria responsible for causing tuberculosis are destroyed in a span of just first two weeks. However, it is suggested treatment must run for at least six months to completely eliminate the balance of 10 percent. If treatment is by any chance discontinued, then it might lead to reoccurrence of infection.

Tuberculosis is definitely contagious. Although tuberculosis in the lings are contagious but the tuberculosis of kidney or spine is not contagious. The tuberculosis bacilli enter the location of air spaces in the lungs, when the immune system of the host carrying it is not strong enough. The bacilli grow at this place however these can be controlled in the lungs through the body's WBCs. At times, infected WBCs transport the bacteria to the lymph nodes and then subsequently to the blood stream. This leads to appearance of tuberculosis in different parts of the body too.

The tuberculosis disease is present in two forms known as the latent and the active one. The latent form is the one which is not contagious while the active form is highly contagious and gives rise to a full blown disease. People who are diagnosed with active tuberculosis may spread to other person through cough, sneeze or even by talking.

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