AbstractsEducation Research & Administration

Tuberculosis TB is a chronic infectious disease primarily caused newlineby the bacillus mycobacterium tuberculosis MTB It mainly spreads by newlineairborne route when the infectious patient expels droplets containing the newlinebacilli The symptoms of active TB of the lung are persistent coughing newlinesometimes with sputum or blood chest pains weakness weight loss fever newlineand night sweats Tuberculosis is treatable with a course of antibiotics TB is newlinea serious global health concern and the incident rate of the disease is still newlineincreasing over the years There were 8 7 million new cases reported in 2012 newlineand 2 3 million TB deaths WHO 2013 worldwide Tuberculosis TB is one newlineof the leading causes of mortality in India killing two persons every three newlineminute nearly 1 000 persons every day TBC India 2013 newlineThe magnitude of TB is high among the poor displaced homeless newlinedrug addicts elderly malnourished and women Frieden et al 2003 TB was newlinedeclared a global emergency by World Health Organization WHO in 1993 newlinebecause of its toll on the health of individuals and the wider social and newlineeconomic impact on overall development of a country There is a strong fear newlineof stigma and rejection from family members and society HIV affected newlinepeople are more prone to TB infection as the HIV virus lowers the immune newlineresponse to TB bacteria Tuberculosis mortality rates are also increasing in newlinehigh HIV prevalent settings Mukadi 2001 newlineRNTCP in India based on the principles of Directly Observed newlineTreatment Short course DOTS is one of the largest and fastest growing newlineTB control programmes in the world Khatri 2000 newline newline%%%appendix p229-264, reference p265-281.