E-Paper
Extra-pulmonary TB cases on the rise in Pune
Pune reports 4,416 TB cases with 47% being Extra-Pulmonary TB (EPTB). Experts cite improved diagnostics and rising awareness as key factors in increased EPTB detection.
According to health experts, Pune city has reported a rising trend of Extra-Pulmonary TB (EPTB) cases. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) this year has reported 4,416 TB cases and 78 deaths in the city. However, out of these, a significant 47% of TB cases are EPTB cases.
TB is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which spreads when an infected person expels the bacteria through the mouth or nose. It mainly affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. When the bacillus affects other parts of the body (eg, pleura, lymph nodes, abdomen, genitourinary tract, skin, joints and bones, or meninges) it is called EPTB. EPTB can infect virtually every other organ in the body.
Dr Prashant Bothe, city TB officer, said, “The notification of TB cases in the city has improved. Detecting EPTB cases is difficult but with advancement in the diagnostic facilities more EPTB cases are getting reported,” he said.
The treatment for TB is provided free of cost at PMC-run hospitals. All TB patients diagnosed by the government are included in the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP). As Poverty and malnutrition are significant risk factors for TB these patients get ₹500 per month during the treatment period for nutritional support under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana.
Dr Rajeev Aadkar, consultant pulmonologist at Ace Hospital said that out of the total TB cases, extrapulmonary TB cases normally constitute about 20 to 25 per cent.
There has been a lack of awareness about EPTB, so experts who have come across many such cases might be able to pick up signs and suggest diagnoses accordingly. The increasing number of EPTB cases may be because more people are diagnosed with increased awareness. However, the overall number of TB cases is rising due to many factors including environmental coupled with bad lifestyle,” Dr Adkar added.
