Compulsory Sputum TB test in India for coughs lasting over 2 weeks

Sputum test, a laboratory screening to detect tuberculosis (TB), has been made mandatory in India for all patients with cough that persists more than 2 weeks.

Cough is generally a symptom most people ignore. However, any cough that lasts for over fourteen days and that cannot be brought under control could be a sign of tuberculosis affecting lungs, says the Central TB Division (CTD) .

Besides persistent cough, patients suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs or pulmonary tuberculosis will also have symptoms fatigue, weight loss, loss of blood in cough, chilliness and night time fever.

Pulmonary tuberculosis is caused by a bug called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Though it affects the lungs it could spread to other parts of the body too. Generally, TB is diagnosed through examining a sputum sample. A positive result from sputum culture growth indicates TB infection.

Tuberculosis of the lungs is becoming a much more common problem in India. It is spreading faster than it used to be, infecting more and more people. In light of this,  CTD – a division of the apex body of the Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has come with new guidelines.

Starting from 1 April 2009, all the patients with cough that cannot be be brought under control within two weeks should undergo two sputum tests, according to the new guidelines in India. 

The two sputum tests in two weeks will help to confirm if the person with cough has TB infection in 85 per cent of the cases. 

Earlier the CTD had asked for a three sputum tests after three weeks of pronounced symptoms but now the two week test will make a major difference in catching cases faster. The guidelines will help diagnose TB faster and help doctors in India to start the treatment early, said Dr Shashidar Buggi, secretary, Karnataka State TB Association and Superintendent, SDS TB and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases. 

“TB is still is not under control and continues to be a major cause of concern despite allocation of funds, expertise with clinicians to detect. While efforts of research and testing facilities are springing up in the country for treatment, there is still no control of the dreaded disease which is affecting 10 lakh cases in India annually. The only way to ensure TB control is that along with government healthcare centres, private hospitals should come forward to implement Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) and Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS),” said Dr Buggi. 

As mentioned, tuberculosis is a bacterial disease and can be cured with the help of antibiotics in majority of the cases. DOTS is considered the most effective treatment method for TB.

India has the largest TB population in the world. It has more than 30% of the total TB population of the entire world. At least 2 people die of tuberculosis in every three minutes (nearly 1000 people everyday) in India, according to Union Health Ministry figures.

Number of people undergoing treatment for TB is also on the rise. As per available statistics, 30,606 people were enrolled for DOTS treatment in Mumbai alone last year. The figure was 28,887 in 2007. Of these, 85 percent of the patients were cured, while three percent succumbed to the disease.