Priftin vs. Rifampin for Tuberculosis: Important Differences and Potential Risks.

Priftin

(rifapentine)

Rifampin

(Rifadin)

Summary for Priftin

Prescription only

Priftin, also known by its generic name rifapentine, is a rifamycin antibiotic that's used to treat tuberculosis (TB) in adults and children. For active TB, it must be taken with other TB antibiotics, such as isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. And for latent TB, Priftin (rifapentine) is taken with isoniazid. Priftin (rifapentine) is a tablet that's taken by mouth with food. It's taken once or twice per week, depending on whether you have active or latent TB and what phase of treatment you're in. Side effects include low blood cell counts, coughing, and headache.

Indications for Priftin

As an add-on to other tuberculosis (TB) antibiotics for:

Active TB infection in people ages 12 years and older
Latent TB infection in people ages 2 years and older who are high risk for the infection to become active again

Pros and Cons for Priftin

Pros

Taken once or twice a week
Can treat children as young as 2 years old with latent TB
No dosage adjustments necessary if you have liver or kidney problems
Can crush the tablets and then add to semi-solid food if you have trouble swallowing

Cons

Must take with other TB antibiotics
Must take each dose in front of a healthcare professional (HCP)
Can change the color of body fluids and stain contact lenses and dentures
No lower-cost generic available; brand-name medication only

Common Side Effects for Priftin

Initial phase for active TB: The following side effects were reported by people who took Priftin (rifapentine) with other TB antibiotics.

Low blood cell counts (up to 11%)
Vomiting blood (8%)
Coughing (6%)
Sweating (5%)
Elevated liver enzymes (5%)

Continuation phase for active TB: The following side effects were reported by people who took Priftin (rifapentine) with isoniazid.

Low white blood cell count (9%)

Warnings for Priftin

Liver injury
Severe allergic reaction
Severe skin reaction
Red-orange color in body fluids, on skin, or in the mouth
Diarrhea from Clostridioides difficile infection

Summary for Rifampin

Prescription only

Rifampin (Rifadin) is an antibiotic used to treat active and latent tuberculosis (TB). It also helps prevent the spread of meningococcal infections by people who carriers of the bacteria, but aren't showing symptoms. Rifampin (Rifadin) is taken by mouth once or twice daily, depending on your medical conditions. If you're taking it for TB, your provider might prescribe other medications as well, like isoniazid. One side effect of rifampin (Rifadin) is that it can temporarily change the color of your teeth, body fluids, and even urine as a side effect.

Indications for Rifampin

Tuberculosis (TB)
Meningococcal carriers (when there's bacteria living in the nose and/or throat, but not causing infection)

Pros and Cons for Rifampin

Pros

One of the first-choice antibiotics for treating TB
Taken once daily for TB treatment
For people who carry the meningococcal bacteria, taking rifampin (Rifadin) for just 2 days helps prevent the spread of infection
Can be made into an oral suspension if you or your child has a hard time swallowing capsules
Available in an injectable form if you're in the hospital and can't take medications by mouth
Available as a lower-cost generic

Cons

Must be used in combination with other anti-TB antibiotics when treating active TB
Can change the color of your teeth and body fluids and stain your contact lenses
Skipping doses can quickly cause drug resistance, making it much harder to treat the infection.
Can cause liver injury, so it's recommended to avoid alcohol
Interacts with many medications, and can lower the medication levels in the body
Not recommended for the treatment of serious meningococcal infections