With 500 brain TB, docs flag drug resistance

Nearly 450 cases of brain tuberculosis have been reported in the state in 2016 according to an 11month survey carried out by a non-government organisation Helping Hand Foundation. Two major government hospitals — Chest Hospital and Niloufer Children’s Hospital — did not participate.

With three million new cases of tuberculosis per year in India, the World Health Organisation says there is a growing need to address the problem stated experts.

Dr Afshan Jabeen, additional professor of neurology at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, which took part in the study, said, “The biggest challenge seen in TB patients is the resistance to drugs. In these cases too we found that patients were not responding to first and second level of antibiotics and had to be put on the third and highest level. This becomes very difficult for the patient who has to cope with a lot of side-effects.”

Early diagnosis in brain TB is missed by many physicians as the symptoms are not recognised. The patient reports with fever, stiff neck, headache, altered sensation, drowsiness, and seizures in some cases. Newer diagnostic tools like molecular test and other genexpert TB tests must be carried out to confirm the disease.

Dr B. Ranga Reddy, president of the Infection Control Academy of India, said, “The government should work towards reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics in agriculture and livestock as that is found to affect the potency of antibiotics. Disease complications are becoming severe due to the resistance.” Brain TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The membranes in the central nervous system are infected by viral and fungal strains. If not treated properly, TBM can lead to permanent loss of vision, loss of limb function, seizures and even death.