Kambuh

Kambuh is a term used in Indonesian medical language to describe the recurrence of a disease or its symptoms after a period of improvement or apparent cure. It is commonly used to denote relapse or flare-ups and applies to a wide range of conditions, including infectious diseases and chronic illnesses.

Causes include incomplete or inadequate treatment, development of drug resistance, poor adherence to therapy, reactivation of latent infection, and reinfection with a new pathogen. Distinguishing relapse from reinfection or recrudescence can require clinical history, laboratory tests, imaging, and sometimes molecular analysis.

Examples include tuberculosis relapse after cure, malaria recurrence due to latent liver forms (hypnozoites), and cancer recurrence after a period of remission. Other diseases may exhibit kambuh as a flare of symptoms rather than a new disease.

Diagnosis relies on symptom assessment and objective tests to confirm recurrence and to rule out other causes. Treatment decisions depend on the underlying condition, prior therapy, and whether relapse is due to resistance or reinfection.

Prevention focuses on completing prescribed therapy, adhering to follow-up schedules, and addressing factors that contribute to recurrence, such as immune status or exposure risk. Early detection of kambuh is important to prevent complications and reduce transmission in contagious diseases.