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While multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a major public health crisis and only a fraction of affected people access treatment worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the adoption of Targeted next generation sequencing (tNGS) to diagnose drug-resistant Tuberculosis (TB).
In its latest guidance, outlined in the third edition of the “WHO Consolidated Guidelines on Tuberculosis. Module 3: Diagnosis – Rapid Diagnostics for the Detection of Tuberculosis,” WHO said these tests offer a more accurate analysis of regions specific genomics of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. present in patient samples, thereby improving the detection of drug resistance compared to alternative sequencing methods.
On the other hand, tests that use whole genome sequencing analyze the entire bacterial genome for drug resistance.
Additionally, the implementation of tNGS testing requires that diagnostic laboratories be equipped with adequate data storage and management infrastructure. WHO has also launched a new tuberculosis sequencing portal that hosts a vast repository of sequences and serves as a comprehensive knowledge base on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.
Only around two in five people with drug-resistant tuberculosis will access treatment worldwide in 2022.
Along with the guideline, WHO also launched a new tuberculosis sequencing portal that hosts more than 56,000 sequences and represents “the most advanced sequencing and phenotyping knowledge base for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the bacteria that causes tuberculosis).”
A global study published in the journal “The Lancet Infectious Diseases” earlier this week found that India, along with most of the world, failed to meet WHO’s goals to end tuberculosis by 2020, including a reduction 20 percent in the incidence of tuberculosis and 35 percent fewer deaths. , compared to the 2015 reference figures.
Only 17 of the 204 countries investigated were found to have met the goal of ending TB mortality by 2020, with researchers citing drug resistance as a major factor in missing mortality targets.
Dr Vikas Tandon, Senior Consultant, Spine Surgeon, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, said that among all cases of tuberculosis, tuberculosis of the bones and spine, also known as osteoarticular tuberculosis, constitutes an important part and It represents approximately 1 to 2% of all tuberculosis. cases in the country.
The incidence of bone and spinal tuberculosis in India is high, mainly due to the country’s large population, poor sanitation, and inadequate access to healthcare. The disease is more common in rural areas, where access to medical care is limited and people often live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.