Nagaland detects 2200 tuberculosis cases in 6 month; TB preventive treatment to be rolled out soon

KOHIMA— About 2,200 active cases of tuberculosis (TB) were detected in Nagaland during the past six months ending June, said Dr. Ruokuohelie Rutsa, Deputy Director of National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).

Addressing a press conference on ‘Tuberculosis preventive treatment’ organised by the Access Rights and Knowledge (ARK) Foundation at the Kohima Press Club office on Friday, the doctor said they receive TB patients every day.

On the causes of infection, he said it is a mixed factor. HIV is not the main cause of TB in the state despite its high prevalence rate; not malnutrition as well. Social stigma is the main challenge as people try to hide their disease, which in turn infect others, he pointed out.

However, the doctor said the disease is already under control and is in the elimination phase.

Everyone has bacteria inside them but not all develop into TB because it attacks vulnerable people with low immunity including HIV, malnutrition, diabetes, chronic alcoholics and smokers, children, open pulmonary cases, he informed.

It was informed that some countries are on the verge eliminating TB but at least 10 million are still affected every year globally with 2 million from India. Though an ancient disease and curable today, it is still a problem for people with HIV.

Speaking on the difference between pulmonary and extra pulmonary/other TBs, he said the former is an infection of lungs while the latter is infection of other organs except hair and nails.

While treatment is the same for both the types of TBs, pulmonary cases are the main concern because the droplets produced during cough infect others.

Nagaland to roll out Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment regimen soon

Ketho Angami, President of ARK Foundation, said that latent tuberculosis infection (LBI) is treatable through tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT), which includes the administration of one or more anti-tuberculosis medicines for certain duration.

He informed that Nagaland will soon roll out the TPT regimen.

This treatment is given to only those household contacts who may have been exposed to the TB bacteria, and those who have low immunity due to existing conditions like those affected by HIV, diabetes, or silicosis, in order to prevent TB before it turns into a state of disease.

Of the short-course regimens, the 12-week regimen of rifapentine-isoniazid called 3HP is most commonly used. However, he said 3HP is still not widely available under the TB programme in India except in some states.

In the absence of effective vaccine, preventive therapy is extremely important in TB prevention and control, he added.

Speaking on Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI), District TB Officer, Dr. Chiben Kithan said anyone can be infected with TB but remain in the LTBI stage without getting sick but it can become an active disease when the body becomes weak, for example from disease, malnutrition, immune suppression, or advanced age.

Without ‘good treatment’, immune system of people living with HIV can be compromised, making them more vulnerable to the progression of LTBI into active TB. So, the prevalence of TB among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) is high, he said.

President, Network of Naga People Living with HIV/AIDS (NNP+), Lanu Aier, said that if a person with HIV is tested positive for TB, it should be treated first as it is the main killer for PLHIV. So he requested PLHIV to take Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT).

Also read: Health official seeks community support to eliminate tuberculosis