Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in India: A review

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become a new threat for the control of TB in many countries including India. Its prevalence is not known in India as there is no nation-wide surveillance. However, there have been some reports from various hospitals in the country. METHODS: We have reviewed the studies/information available in the public domain and found data from 10 tertiary care centres in 9 cities in India. RESULTS: A total of 598 isolates of XDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been reported in the studies included. However, the reliability of microbiological methods used in these studies was not checked and thus the XDR-TB data remained invalidated in reference laboratories. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Systematic surveillance and containment interventions are urgently needed.