New Delhi, March 24 (IANS). Every year ‘World TB Day’ is celebrated on 24 March. On this day people are made aware of this serious disease. They are told by doctors that what can be the initial symptoms of TB? What steps should the patient should immediately take if such symptoms are seen? TB is usually a disease in the lungs, whose people come and lose their lives.
World TB Day is celebrated every year from 1982 to 24 March. It was started by the World Health Organization to celebrate it. This time the theme of TB Day is: “We can eliminate TB: committed, investment and salvation.”
At the same time, on the occasion of ‘TB Day’, IANS had a special conversation with Dr. Laxmipriya, a microbiologist of Metropolis Healthcare Limited. He explained in detail about the disease. Along with this, he also told us how to protect it.
Dr. Lakshmipriya said that tuberculosis (TB) is a serious disease caused by a bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis, which spreads from one person to another through air. It usually affects the lungs, but can also damage other parts of the spine, kidney, brain and intestine.
According to the doctor, bacteria are competing with medicine with disagreement, that is, drug resistance is continuously increasing and it has emerged as a major challenge in its treatment. He said, “TB treatment is possible, but now drug resistance has become its biggest problem. When TB bacteria start with the effect of drugs, it is called drug resistant TB. It spreads like a normal TB and if it is not treated at the right time, it can become a threat to the whole community.”
According to a microbiologist, drug resistance is of two types. First, primary resistance, in which bacteria are stronger against the drug before the treatment starts. Second, acquired resistance, which arises from non -use of drugs during treatment. There are many types of drug resistant TB, such as refampicin resistant (RR TB), mono-resistant (against one drug), poly-resistant (against two or more drugs), multidrig resistant (MDR TB), pre-exposurely drug-resistant (pre-XDR), and widely drug resistance. Bacteria in MDR TB become resistant against two main drugs- isoniazid and refampicin- while many other drugs in XDR TB also become neutralized.
Dr. Lakshmipriya said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, around 4,10,000 people worldwide got MDR or Rifampicin resistant TB. Normal TB is treated in six months, but MDR TB patients have to undergo long and complex treatment. This disease is not only dangerous for patients, but is also a challenge for the world due to high cost of treatment and mortality.
According to Laxmipriya, TB is the highest in the world in India and is 30 percent of global TB cases. The good thing is that India have 7,767 rapid molecular labs and 87 culture testing labs, which help to quickly detect drug resistant TB. Techniques such as gene expert tests are used to detect TB, which give results in two hours. In addition, the culture test and the new generation sequencing technology provide accurate information of drug resistance.
-IANS
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