Tuberculosis - India is fighting for elimination

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major contagious infection that usually attacks lungs and it spreads to other parts of body like brain, spine etc. It is caused by the bacteria called M Tuberculosis. In many low-income, middle-income countries, TB continues to be a major cause of morbidity & mortality, and drug-resistant TB is a major concern in many settings. India is the highest TB burden country in the world having an estimated incidence of 26.9 lakh cases in 2019 (WHO) with high Drug Resistant TB as well and HIV TB. Approximately 50 % or even more TB patients are accountable to private sector leading lower TB notification. India has now developed the ability to achieve complete surveillance coverage including mandatory private sector notification, putting efforts at all levels of program management to ensure complete and adequate diagnostics, treatment and preventive services. TB infection does not necessarily mean someone get the disease but there is a probability based on poor immune status. There are two variants commonly observed, latent TB where TB bacteria present in body but no symptoms as the immunity is stronger one and active TB means bacteria multiply and one can become sick and further transmit the disease. 90 % of active TB cases are form latent TB infection. When someone coughs, sneezes, talks, laughs, or sings etc, they release tiny droplets that contain the germs and if someone breathe in these germs, can get it. Major symptoms seen are cough, fever, chest pain, coughing of blood, weight loss etc It is always risky for any one if a friend, co-worker, or family member has active TB, travelled in any risk area or associated with risk groups like HIV, DM, people living with congregate settings (jail, prisons) or health worker in general or high TB settings (TB wards). Today with best drugs available TB is completely curable, but it takes longer time (6-9 months in DSTB, 20 months in DRTB). Even then it is mandatory to stop transmission in community by early diagnosis and prompt treatment and adopting simplest measures cough etiquettes, hand washing, health education etc. In present era treatment of LTBI is important part of TB elimination and on top of TB elimination agenda.