With 2.3 million cases reported every year, tuberculosis (TB) is a major public threat in India. This airborne infectious disease is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and spread through cough or sputum of diseased patients. Although TB management has revolutionized with WHO-assisted TB control program, India still has the highest TB burden in the world. This article gives an insight into the current scenario of TB in India and challenges in its management.
Prevalence: As per WHO, India accounts for 64% of world's new TB cases. 2 million new cases occur each year with 280,000 deaths annually. Over past few decades, TB management has improved significantly, which can be summarized as follows: Early period: The middle of 20 th century was marked by the non-availability of chemotherapeutic agents, diagnostic X-Ray facilities, TB control program and proper treatments with…
