The Hindu : Incidence of TB high among diabetics, AIDS patients

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Incidence of TB high among diabetics, AIDS patients

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA MARCH 24. AIDS and diabetes were increasing the incidence of tuberculosis, said doctors at a CME programme organised by the District Tuberculosis Control Society on the occasion of the `World Anti-TB Day' here on Monday.

G. Eswar, professor of general medicine, Government General Hospital, said in Asian countries, which had higher incidence of diabetes with TB accounted for more deaths. A patient dies of TB in the Asian countries every minute, he added.

He said TB germs, which are dormant in the body become active and cause the disease in diabetics. Treating a diabetic with TB was difficult because of drug interactions. It was therefore essential to control diabetes first using insulin, which occurs in the body and does not interact with the anti-TB therapy (ATT) drugs.

Quoting statistics, Dr. Eswar said one-third of the population is infected with TB, but only 10 per cent actually suffer from the disease. The rest are able to develop resistance to the bacteria, which is present in them in a dormant state. The scientist, Kelly West, had established that the TB germs had the genetic make-up to lie dormant for a long time. When diabetes develops with aging the dormant germs become active. Diabetics, who develop TB, also spread the disease horizontally.

He said 50 years ago only two per cent of the population suffered from TB. Today the incidence has increased to eight per cent in rural areas and ten per cent in urban areas. He said doctors should also always check diabetics for TB.

P. Rambabu, professor of STD, Government General Hospital said TB was the biggest killer of AIDS victims, with 50 per cent of AIDS victims dying of TB. However, things were improving now. Earlier it was thought to be impossible to treat an AIDS patient suffering from TB. It was later found that AIDS patients could also be cured of TB by giving them good food. A good diet played a great part (90 per cent) in curing TB in AIDS patients than medicine. Treatment for AIDS could be stopped for two months while treating the patient for TB, Dr. Ram Babu, said.

N. P. Vital Rao, assistant professor of Paediatrics, said it had become a challenge to diagnose TB in children where the disease was `aspecific'.

The GGH superintendent, R. Subba Rao, the head of general medicine, K. Butchibabu, the head of TB Department, P. Jayakarababu, spoke. The district TB control officer, B. Sasidhar Kumar, was the moderator for the programme.

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Incidence of TB high among diabetics, AIDS patients