Tuberculosis (TB)

Why in news?

• India registered a decline in the notification of tuberculosis (TB) cases by about 85 per cent in April this year, after the imposition of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown which led to a decline in access to TB services in the country.
• India, has the highest TB burden across the globe, which accounts for 26 per cent of the total global cases.

About TB

• Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.

Transmission:

• TB is spread from person to person through the air.

Risk of infection:

• People infected with TB bacteria have a 5–15% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB.
• However, persons with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV have a much higher risk of falling ill.

Drug resistance:

• Drug resistance emerges when anti-TB medicines are used inappropriately, through incorrect prescription by health care providers, poor quality drugs, and patients stopping treatment prematurely.
• Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs.
• MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.

Vaccination:

• Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a vaccine for TB.

Add ons:

• ‘End TB Strategy’, adopted by the WHO is a blueprint for countries to end the TB epidemic.
• Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• DOTS (Directly observed treatment, short course) is the name given to the tuberculosis control strategy recommended by the World Health Organization.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements:
1.Tuberculosis (TB) is a viral disease that affect the lungs 
2.It is spread from person to person through the air.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only 
(c)Both 1 and 2 
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question