Dr Ruokuohelie Rutsa, Deputy Director, NTEP and others at the press conference on Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment at Kohima Press Club on July 7. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Kohima | July 7
There are 2200 active Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the state, as per the data of the first two quarterly reports and the numbers are increasing, Dr Ruokuohelie Rutsa, Deputy Director, National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) informed on Friday.
Interacting with media persons at a press conference on Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment (TPT) held at Kohima Press Club, Dr Rutsa termed Tuberculosis as an 'opportunistic' disease and said Nagaland is on active campaign going door to door with the vision to eliminate TB by 2025.
Highlighting the different types of TB as pulmonary TB which affects the lungs, and extra pulmonary TB that affects all organs in the body, except hair and nails, he explained pulmonary TB as highly infectious which can be transmitted through droplets in the air while coughing by the infected person. He said the social stigma attached with TB which deters people to seek testing and treatment. And while it is mandated to have DRTB centre in all the district hospitals, he said, due to fund constraints as absence of infrastructure, this has not been materialised.
What is latent TBI?
Briefly explaining on what is latent TB infection, District TB Officer, Dr Chiben Kithan said, 'it is defined as a state of persistent immune response to stimulation by Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens with no evidence of clinically manifest active TB.'
This means, he said, anyone can be infected with TB but remain in the LTBI stage without getting sick from active TB. However, latent TB infection can progress to active disease when the body immunity is compromised, Dr Kithan said.
He further explained that during the stage of LTBI, the immune system is successful in containing TB while active TB disease refers to the time when TB is no longer contained by the immune system and causes disease. However, people can also progress directly to developing active disease without having a long latent period, he added.
Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT)
Ketho Angami, President ARK Foundation said, LTBI is treatable through Tuberculosis preventive Treatment or TPT - a treatment for preventing tuberculosis.
As against the regular treatment with lengthy period, TPT, he said, includes the administration of one or more anti-tuberculosis medicines for only three months.
However, he informed that this treatment is given to only those 'household contacts' who may have been exposed to the TB bacteria, and those who have low immunity due to existing conditions such as affected by HIV, diabetes, or silicosis.
It was also informed that 3HP regimen medicines under TPT have reached the state, and that it will be rolled out soon. In the absence of a broadly effective vaccine, Angami underscored on the importance of preventive therapy in TB prevention and control.
He also informed of the current recommendation of WHO preventive therapy in all- childhood household contacts (under 5 years) of someone diagnosed with active TB disease, people with HIV as long as active TB disease has been ruled out.
Lanu, President NNP+, a PLHIV explained how this vulnerable group are more prone to succumb to TB due to their low immunity. He also stressed on the need for TPT and welcomed the new regimen.
