Drug-resistant TB patients test negative in Mumbai

Two years after 12 tuberculosis (TB) patients from Mumbai became resistant to all 12 drugs to treat the disease, nine of the present 30 such patients have tested negative for the TB bacilli. These patients have successfully completed their two years of rigorous TB treatment and have instilled hope.

Dr Minni Khetrapal, BMC's deputy executive health officer and Mumbai's TB officer, said: "Of the first 12 TB patients who were found to be resistant to all available drugs, six have survived and one of them have recently tested negative for TB bacilli in the culture test. It is a matter of great pride for us as this has redefined our hope."

Dr Khetrapal added that it is still a mystery on what has led to this. "The doctors have been trying various permutation and combination methods with the drugs. There must be some dynamics inside the body that is making treatment workable in their favour," said Dr Khetrapal.

Rahima Sheikh, 37, is one of the nine success stories. "I was first detected with the disease seven years ago. In 2011, the drug sensitivity tests showed that I was resistant to all 12 drugs. For seven years, I battled with the disease. We sold major portions of my farm in this period and my husband had to take up work in Mumbai. But with support and help from doctors and BMC, I managed to successfully complete the treatment and free myself of the disease."

Experts say that these nine patients are role models for all TB patients. One of them is a Mira Road resident who is in his early 30s. "The patient was taking treatment privately. After two years of treatment, he got cured of the disease. Best part is, he continued working and now his family is positive about his marriage plans," said a civic health official.

On January 6, 2012, a team of doctors from PD Hinduja hospital revealed that they had 12 patients of TB who would not respond to the available treatment. After the news, WHO, central and state government officials and the civic body initiated action to formulate measures to deal with the drug resistant form of TB.

Dr Zarir Udwadia, chest physician from PD Hinduja hospital who had co-authored the TDR TB study, said: "While it is a very positive news, we have to wait for another six months to declare them free of TB."

• There are 146 extensively drug resistant (XDR) TB patients and 4,697 progressive MDR TB patients in Mumbai.
• A third of humans alive today carry the TB bacteria. Only a relatively small number of them will get sick. It's still one of the world's deadliest diseases.
• India, where about two people die every three minutes from TB, is on the frontline of this global battle. Some 2 million Indians develop TB each year.
• The mortality rate of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB is 30%; extensively drug resistant (XDR) TB is 60%; TDR-TB is 100%.