Abstract:

The preventive treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a key link in the strategy to end the epidemic of tuberculosis. However, the preventive treatment of tuberculosis in modern medicine has many challenges, such as many adverse reactions and poor patient compliance. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine has shown unique advantages in the preventive intervention of LTBI based on the concept of preventing diseases before they occur and the theory of suppressing pathogenic diseases, which is crucial for achieving precise diagnosis and treatment of LTBI. In order to clarify the TCM syndrome differentiation and classification of LTBI and the corresponding treatment and prescription, Institute of Clinical Basic Medicine of Chinese Medicine of the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Chinese Antituberculosis Association, and Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Antituberculosis jointly organized domestic experts in various fields of tuberculosis, including experts in TCM theory, TCM clinic, epidemiology, and basic research, and wrote the Expert consensus on TCM syndrome differentiation, treatment principles, formulas, and herbs for latent tuberculosis infection (hereinafter referred to as the “Consensus”). This consensus system elaborates on the core elements of traditional Chinese medicine etiology and pathogenesis, syndrome differentiation and typing of LTBI, as well as the key points of syndrome differentiation for special populations. At the same time, the categories and key characteristics of TCM syndrome differentiation were clarified, and corresponding treatment methods and prescriptions were recommended for each syndrome type, aiming to provide reference for the precise diagnosis and treatment of LTBI.

Key words: Latent tuberculosis infection, Medicine, Chinese traditional, TCM syndrome differentiation, Latent pathogen, Consensus development conferences as topic