Extreme drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), has been detected in India.
Researchers from Hinduja National Hospital in Mumbai found
that the type has struck root in India. It is known as the worlds most untreatable form of
tuberculosis which could account for about 8% of those who suffer from the strain of the disease which develops immunity to multiple drugs. The team of
researchers, led by Dr Sushil Jain, examined 3,904 lab samples and found 1,274 were positive for TB. Of these, 32% suffered from multiple drug resistance (MDR-TB), and 8% of them were XDR-TB cases. Mortality rate of XDR-TB patients in the study is known to be 42%. Most of the cases studied were found in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis which can be spread by coughing or sneezing.
"XDR-TB is a growing problem in India affecting mostly young, working-age people posing a major threat to our economically productive population “said Dr. Sushil Jain at the American Thoracic Society''s international conference. It also said that the India''s National TB Control Programme has no official data on the prevalence of XDR-TB in India.