01/27/2012

NEWS

Indian Doctors Report Cases of Totally Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Doctors in Mumbai, India have identified a virulent form of Tuberculosis (TB) that is resistant to several, if not all, TB drugs.  The doctors described the strain as Totally Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (TDR-TB), although India’s Health Ministry has asserted the label is non-standardized and misleading.  Within the past three months, Mumbai medical officials have diagnosed a dozen patients with TDR-TB.  Three of the patients have died; the remaining cases are dispersed throughout the city.  Currently, authorities are debating introducing policy to quarantine the infected individuals. 

Although global health officials are not surprised by the findings, the discovery has troubled many due to India’s high prevalence rate of TB (about a quarter of all TB cases).  According to the WHO, there are over 100,000 cases of drug-resistant TB patients in India.  Mumbai, the commercial hub of India, is also an ideal breeding ground for drug resistance.  The city is overcrowded and many parts are stricken with extreme poverty.  Surrounding the city, Dharavi (Asia’s second largest slum) hosts over 2.5 million people, including four of the individuals diagnosed with TDR-TB.  Furthermore, many second-line TB drugs are illegally available in the city, making them more likely to lose their potency.  In 2010, TB accounted for 15% of deaths in Mumbai. 

The discovery has provoked various criticisms toward the nation’s healthcare system.  Some argue that Indian healthcare facilities may be unable to prevent the spread of TDR-TB infection.  Many Indian physicians lack the resources to diagnose resistant strains or to appropriately administer expensive, second-line drugs. Education of healthcare providers – especially those working in the private sector – is critical to ensure alignment with national guidelines.

“GBCHealth members are active in the global fight against TB,” says Shuma Panse, Senior Manager at GBCHealth, “Companies are running and supporting workplace and community programs and advocating at the global level for more attention and resources to the disease.” For more information on what GBCHealth and its members are doing on TB, visit.

GBCHealth’s suite of TB resources is designed to help companies take further action on TB. The suite includes:

For more information on TDR-TB, visit:

WHO: http://www.who.int/tb/challenges/mdr/tdrfaqs/en/index.html

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/tb/

Sources: 

Know, Richard. “TB That Resists All Drugs is Found in India.”  NPR.org

Laewenberg, Samuel. “ India reports cases of totally drug-resistant tuberculosis. “ The Lancet. Vol 379. P.205

Narayan, Adi.  “Untreatable TB Cases in India Spur Call for Quarantine to Prevent Spread.” Bloomburg.com