39% TB cases found during Tamil Nadu TB survey had no symptoms

39% TB cases found during Tamil Nadu TB survey had no symptoms

Subject: Science and Tech

Sec: Health

Context:

The first-of-its-kind TB prevalence cross-sectional survey was carried out among individuals aged older than 15 years across Tamil Nadu from February 2021 to July 2022. Based on the survey findings, the authors of the study from the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (ICMR-NIRT), Chennai have recommended that the State TB programme should prioritise the use of chest X-rays for earlier detection of cases and for cutting the transmission chain, and upscale the molecular tests to increase the yield. 

More on News:

• Symptoms of TB and/or abnormal chest X-rays were tested for TB using Xpert, smear microscopy, and liquid culture.
• The survey identified 244 microbiologically confirmed TB cases. Among the 244 patients with TB, only 5% (133 people) reported having symptoms of TB, while 92.6% (224 people) had chest X-ray abnormalities.
• The most important finding from the survey is that 39% (94 people) of the TB cases detected had no TB symptoms, otherwise called subclinical TB.
• All 94 people with TB, who were initially picked up based on chest X-ray abnormalities and subjected to sputum examination, were found to be bacteriologically positive, thus confirming TB disease.
• This highlights the importance of using chest X-ray for screening even in people who do not exhibit any symptoms.
• Currently, the TB programme in Tamil Nadu offers chest X-rays only for those with symptoms. Based on the survey findings, the State should prioritise the use of chest X-rays for earlier case detection and increase the yield.
• The use of chest X-ray as a preliminary screening tool along with molecular diagnostics will surely help in better detection of cases. 
• Although cough expels large quantities of droplets leading to increased transmission risk, respiratory droplets can also be expelled without cough such as during singing, talking, and tidal breathing.

Tuberculosis:

• Bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can practically affect any organ of the body. The most common ones are the lungs, pleura (lining around the lungs), lymph nodes, intestines, spine, and brain.
• Transmission:
  • It is an airborne infection that spreads through close contact with the infected, especially in densely populated spaces with poor ventilation.
• Symptoms:
  • Common symptoms of active lung TB are cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
• Infection Prevalence:
  • Every year, 10 million people fall ill with TB. Despite being a preventable and curable disease, 5 million people die from TB each year– making it the world’s top infectious killer.
  • TB is theleading cause of death of people with HIV and also a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance.
  • Most of the people who fall ill with TB live in low- and middle-income countries, but TB is present all over the world. About half of all people with TB can be found in 8 countries:Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines and South Africa.

Inactive Tuberculosis:

• Tuberculosis (TB) germs can live in the body for years without making you sick. This is called inactive TB or latent TB infection.
• People with inactive TB do not feel sick, do not have symptoms, and cannot spread TB germs to others.
• Without treatment, inactive TB can develop into active TB disease at any time and make you sick.