TB in India:Epidemiological dimensions
India unfortunately accounts for 1/4 th of the global burden of TB.
Grzybowsky(Ind J Tub,1995,42,201) after citing Young in the Transactions of Calcutta Medical society(1823,IV,36) and Murray(Trans,Bombay Med Soc 1838,II,45)was of the opinion that Tuberculosis was rare in India in the last century.He feels that India's experience with Tuberculosis in modern times started probably in the middle of the 19th century;that it reached its peak in the early years of 20th century.
The present situation in India is alarming:
Estimated number of cases 3.5 million
Number of TB deaths 0.5 million per annum ,more than 1000 per day ,one every minute
One untreated sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis patient can infect 10-15 per year
The main findings of the longitudinal epidemiological study of the National tuberculosis Institute are:
- Prevalence rate of tuberculous infection in the population was about 30%(among females 25% and males 25%)
- Annual incidence of rate of infection on the average was about 1%
- Prevalence rate of disease ranged from 337 to 406 per 100000 population
- Annual incidence rate of disease ranged from 70 to 132 per 100000 of population
- Those with tuberculin test induration of 20mm or more had highest annual incidence rate of disease
- The annual incidence rate of bacteriologically confirmed disease in different radiological groups was as follows:
|
Radiological pattern |
Annual incidence of disease per 100000 |
|
Xray normal |
185 |
|
Abnormal shadows judged as inactive |
958 |
|
Abnormal shadow shadow not bacteriologically confirmed |
4530 |
- Out of 126 cases followed up at three subsequent surveys over a period of 5 years,49.2% died,32.5% cured and 18.3% continued to remain sputum positive.
More info on Indian epidemiological surveys
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