Awareness of spinal TB low: Experts

Tuberculosis is wrongly considered an illness of the past. Moreover, it is thought to be an infectious disease affecting the lungs. People are not aware that TB can affect any human organ, be it spine or even uterus.  The cases of TB of the spine are on the rise. Worse still, they are mostly   drug-resistant cases. Experts believe the number of cases of spinal TB could be as high as 40,000 per annum in India, with a prevalence of 10%.

"Cases of spinal TB in India, its incidence, prevalence and repercussions are increasing, but awareness is lacking," said Dr Bharat Dave, spine surgeon who spoke at a conference organised by Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI) in the city to raise awareness about the disease on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day on Thursday. Dave added that such cases are rising among kids as well as elderly people. They are also rising among HIV patients.   

To diagnose spinal TB, is itself a challenge, say doctors. As the country has about one-third of the world's TB population, such cases are more often detected in India than elsewhere. 

Symptoms of the disease include severe back pain, localised pain in the spine, fever, night sweating, excessive weight loss, loss of appetite and weakness in the lower limbs. If not treated in time, it leads to permanent deformity or paralysis.

"This disease generally takes two to three years to affect the entire spine. If detected in the early stage damage can effectively be controlled," added Dave. Most of the spinal TB cases need surgical intervention which costs about Rs 60,000. After the surgery, patients have to take oral medication for about nine to 18 months which costs about Rs 6,000 to 12,000 - depending on the severity of the disease.