Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis (TB)
Illustration of human lung anatomy showcasing tuberculosis infection

About TB

  • Bacterial infection caused by bacterium called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.
  • Bacille Calmette Guerin vaccine is given to babies or children to prevent TB.
  • Global target set for elimination of TB is 2030 but India aims to eliminate TB by 2025.

Steps for TB taken by Indian Govt.

  • National Strategic Plan for 2017-25 sets specific targets.
  • Setup of an Online Nikshay Portal for tracking of TB cases.
  • Improved access to molecular diagnostic tests such as CB-NAAT and TrueNat has been facilitated.
  • A universal drug susceptibility test determines the antibiotic susceptibility for all newly diagnosed cases.
  • Setup of community engagement program that involves Nikshay Mitra adopting TB patients and providing monthly nutritional support to them.

A new treatment regimen for Drug-resistant TB

  • Multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB
    • Patients who are infected with strains resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin, called multidrug-resistant(MDR) TB.
    • They are practically incurable by standard first-line treatment.
  • Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB –
    • It refers to MDR-TB strains that are resistant to fluoroquinolones and second-line injectable drugs.

Causes of Drug-resistant TB

  • The main causes of the spread of resistant TB are weak medical systems, amplification of resistance patterns through incorrect treatment, and transmission in communities and facilities.

BPaL

  • India is getting ready to roll out BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) regimen for all multi/extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis patients. This is a significant move in the country’s battle against with the new regime indicating good results in countries including Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine, etc.
  • BPaL is a new all-oral combination of drugs consisting of Bedaquiline (B), Pretomanid (Pa) and Linezolid (L).
    • The new regimen is also expected to be more cost-effective, significantly. reducing treatment costs .
    • After the availability of generic bedaquiline cost to TB programmes has fallen Enhance Treatment Outcomes.
    • The regimen shortens treatment duration from 18-24 months to about six months and simplifies the process to three daily tablets, compared to the previous regimen of 14 drugs.
    • A shorter regimen, such as BPaL, which is all oral and requires lesser doses per day, will make it easier for a patient to adhere to and complete treatments.
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