Directly observed therapy, short-course (DOTS) is a strategy for the control of tuberculosis (TB) that was launched by the World Health Organization in the mid-1990s. DOTS consists of five elements: (1) government commitment to sustained TB control; (2) detection of TB cases by sputum smear microscopy among patients with possible TB symptoms; (3) standardized short-course anti-TB treatment for all confirmed TB cases with direct observation of treatment for at least the initial two months; (4) regular, uninterrupted supply of all essential anti-TB drugs; and (5) a reliable monitoring, recording, and reporting system for supervision and evaluation of TB programs. Since its introduction, [Page 474]DOTS has had a substantial impact on reducing the spread of TB and increasing TB cure rates.

TB is a disease caused by ...