Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Pulmonary Tuberculosis V01:28

Pulmonary Tuberculosis V

Medical management of tuberculosis (TB) patients involves a comprehensive approach that includes diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. The specific strategies can vary depending on the type of tuberculosis (latent or active), the patient's overall health status, and other considerations.
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the progression...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I01:29

Pulmonary Tuberculosis I

Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV01:26

Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV

Tuberculosis, more commonly referred to as TB, is an infectious disease stemming from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While it primarily impacts the lungs, TB can also affect other body areas. Given its severity and global impact, timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for controlling its spread and improving patient outcomes.
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
Tuberculosis01:23

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, primarily targeting the lungs and spreading through airborne transmission. Infection begins when aerosolized droplet nuclei, expelled by an individual with active TB, are inhaled by another person. These microscopic particles carry Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB. Upon reaching the alveoli, the bacilli are engulfed by alveolar macrophages. However, due to their specialized lipid-rich cell wall, these pathogens...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis II01:28

Pulmonary Tuberculosis II

Tuberculosis, or TB, is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While its primary impact is on the lungs, leading to pulmonary tuberculosis, it can also affect various other organs, a condition referred to as extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
Here is a detailed explanation of its pathophysiology:
Transmission: The process begins when a person inhales droplet nuclei containing M. tuberculosis. These are typically released into the air when an individual with pulmonary or...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis III01:31

Pulmonary Tuberculosis III

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infection primarily affecting the lung parenchyma but which can also affect other body parts. TB can be classified based on disease development, presentation, and the affected anatomical site.
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for rheumatoid arthritis after failure of biologic or targeted synthetic therapy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same author

Audit and feedback: effects on professional practice.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same author

Perioperative use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in people with inflammatory arthritis.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same author

Prevalence of Cervical Lymphadenopathy in Acute CNS Infections - Testing Glymphatics in Humans.

Neurology India·2026
Same author

Transferable learning from pandemic experiences: impacts, adaptations and capacity for resilience within households, communities and organisations.

BMC public health·2026
Same author

Outcomes of deprescribing for people with life-limiting conditions: A systematic review.

Palliative medicine·2026

Related Experiment Videos

Nutritional supplements for people being treated for active tuberculosis.

David Sinclair1, Katharine Abba, Liesl Grobler

  • 1International Health Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK. sinclad@liverpool.ac.uk.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|November 11, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Nutritional supplements show modest weight gain in tuberculosis patients but lack evidence for improved cure rates or mortality. More research is needed to confirm benefits for treatment outcomes and quality of life.

Related Experiment Videos

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Tuberculosis (TB) and malnutrition share a complex, bidirectional relationship impacting disease progression and recovery.
  • Nutritional deficiencies can impair immune function, worsening TB outcomes and delaying healing.
  • Current evidence-based nutritional guidance for TB patients is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of oral nutritional supplements on tuberculosis treatment outcomes and recovery.
  • To assess the effects of food, protein/energy supplements, and micronutrients in patients receiving antituberculous therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified through comprehensive database searches.
  • Included trials compared oral nutritional supplements (≥4 weeks) against no intervention, placebo, or dietary advice.
  • Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed independently; GRADE methodology was used for evidence quality.

Main Results:

  • Macronutrient supplementation (food/energy supplements) likely leads to modest weight gain (moderate quality evidence) but did not demonstrate significant benefits on mortality, cure, or treatment completion.
  • Micronutrient supplementation showed little to no effect on mortality (moderate to very low quality evidence) or sputum positivity (low quality evidence), and likely no effect on weight gain (moderate quality evidence).
  • While some micronutrient plasma levels may improve, consistent clinical benefits on TB treatment outcomes or nutritional recovery were not demonstrated.

Conclusions:

  • Insufficient evidence exists to determine if free food or energy supplements improve TB treatment outcomes or quality of life.
  • Further large-scale trials, especially in food-insecure regions, are necessary to establish clinical benefits of nutritional supplementation.
  • Despite potential low vitamin levels at TB treatment initiation, routine supplementation above recommended amounts currently lacks reliable evidence of clinical benefit.