Study Finds Widespread Transmission of Deadlier TB Strain in Mumbai

A recently published research paper unveiled findings from a national study involving 600 patients afflicted with drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). The study, led by the IIT Bombay startup, Haystacks Analytics, in collaboration with the BMC and Pune's D Y Patil Medical College, utilized cutting-edge TB diagnostics known as whole genome sequencing.

The results revealed that a majority, comprising 51% of the patients, suffered from advanced disease stages, rendering four or more drugs ineffective. Although the bulk of the samples originated from Mumbai, the study also included samples from various regions across Maharashtra and a select few states beyond.

Among the patients surveyed, approximately 51% were diagnosed with pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR), while 15.5% exhibited the comparatively less severe multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), characterized by the ineffectiveness of two known anti-TB drugs. Treatment for MDR-TB and pre-XDR-TB typically spans 18 to 24 months, whereas the drug-sensitive form of TB necessitates only nine months of treatment.

The study, featured in Microbiology Spectrum, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Microbiology, highlights two significant conclusions. Firstly, it confirms the presence of active transmission of pre-XDR TB in Mumbai, particularly among individuals in the productive age bracket, indicating direct transmission of the more severe form of the disease from an infected person. Secondly, despite the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) not yet incorporating whole genome sequencing (WGS), it appears that the medical community has established its own guidelines regarding the utilization of WGS in TB diagnosis and management.