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Rifampicin Body Fluid Discolouration — SCE Infectious Diseases MCQ

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EasyTuberculosisRifampicin Body Fluid DiscolourationSCE Infectious Diseases

A 50-year-old man with TB develops orange-red discolouration of his tears, urine, and sweat. He is alarmed. What is the cause and is it harmful?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: B — Rifampicin — it causes harmless orange-red discolouration of all body fluids; patients must be warned before starting treatment to prevent unnecessary alarm and non-adherence

Rifampicin is a potent red-orange dye that discolours tears, urine, sweat, saliva, and sputum. This is entirely harmless and expected. However, patients MUST be warned before starting treatment — failure to counsel leads to unnecessary alarm, ED attendance, and non-adherence. Soft contact lenses may be permanently stained. Importantly, orange-red urine should NOT be confused with haematuria.

Reference: NICE NG33 2016 – TB; BNF 2024 – Rifampicin