Rifapentine Oral: Latent TB Regimens
Rifapentine guidance for latent tuberculosis in combination with isoniazid, with weekly and daily regimens.
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Source reviewed
September 2023
Guide category
Oral drugs
Safety boundary
Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.
Kenza Health Hub presents this medicine page as structured health education. Check dose, route, interactions, pregnancy or breast-feeding considerations, and local protocol with a qualified clinician or pharmacist. Read our medical editorial policy.
Therapeutic action
Antituberculosis antibacterial (bactericidal activity).
Indications
Latent tuberculosis, in combination with isoniazid.
Forms and strengths
- 150 mg tablet.
- 300 mg tablet.
Dose and duration
Weekly regimen for 3 months, in combination with isoniazid
Child 2 years and over and adult.
- 10 to 14 kg: 300 mg once weekly.
- 14.1 to 25 kg: 450 mg once weekly.
- 25.1 to 32 kg: 600 mg once weekly.
- 32.1 to 49 kg: 750 mg once weekly.
- 50 kg and over: 900 mg once weekly.
Daily regimen for 1 month, in combination with isoniazid
- Child 13 years and over and adult: 600 mg once daily.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to patients with jaundice, hypersensitivity to rifamycins, or history of severe haematological disorders during a previous treatment with rifamycins.
- Do not administer the weekly regimen to children under 2 years or the daily regimen to children under 13 years.
- Avoid or administer with caution to patients with hepatic disorders.
- May cause orange-red discoloration of body secretions, gastrointestinal disturbances, rarely hepatotoxicity, headache, influenza-like symptoms, haematological disorders, cutaneous reactions, and hypersensitivity reactions.
- If signs of hepatotoxicity develop, rifapentine should be discontinued until symptoms resolve.
- Rifapentine reduces the effect of many drugs including antimicrobials, anticonvulsants, some antiretrovirals, some hormones, antidiabetics, corticosteroids, direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C, and warfarin.
- Do not administer in patients on protease inhibitors or nevirapine.
- In women using contraception, use medroxyprogesterone or an intrauterine device.
- With concomitant fluconazole, administer each drug 12 hours apart.
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: not recommended because safety is not established.
- Tablets can be crushed and mixed with a small amount of food.
Dosage and duration
| Weight | Weekly dosage | 150 mg tablet | 300 mg tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 to 14 kg | 300 mg | 2 tab once weekly | 1 tab once weekly |
| 14.1 to 25 kg | 450 mg | 3 tab once weekly | _ |
| 25.1 to 32 kg | 600 mg | 4 tab once weekly | 2 tab once weekly |
| 32.1 to 49 kg | 750 mg | 5 tab once weekly | _ |
| ≥ 50 kg | 900 mg | 6 tab once weekly | 3 tab once weekly |
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.
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