Use of rifapentine in the treatment of latent tuberculosis infection

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious and contagious disease which, although curable, is one of the main causes of death attributed to infection worldwide. People who are exposed to a TB case but do not develop active TB may have latent TB infection (LTBI).

In Québec, TB outbreaks have occurred among Inuit persons living in remote and isolated regions in Nunavik, persons in a situation of marginalization in urban settings, prison inmates and new immigrants and refugees. Rifapentine is used in combination with isoniazid to treat LTBI in some countries. However, rifapentine is not marketed in Canada and is only imported on an exceptional basis.

Given the current state of scientific knowledge, the combination of rifapentine and isoniazid administrated once weekly for 3 months (3HP) to treat LTBI in at-risk populations could represent a new option for preventing the onset of active TB.