Every year, an estimated 1.5 million patients are subjected to the diagnostic tests of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in India. Furthermore, out of the 75 new sputum positive cases of TB that are reported every year, about two percent are confirmed to be of the drug-resistant variety.

Also read:

• What are the trends in the Indian TB diagnostic market? 
• Indian Experts slam serological TB tests 

Related interviews / columns:

• Dr Gyanu Lamichhane - Johns Hopkins Center for Tuberculosis Research 
• Dr Niraj Shende - TB diagnosis needs effective regulatory approach 
• Dr Lucica Ditiu, executive secretary, Stop TB Partnership
• Mr Mohit Malhotra - MD and head of country operations, Sandoz India
• Dr Koen Andries - distinguished research fellow, Tibotec 
• Dr Peter Small - senior program officer for TB, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 
• Dr Mel Spigelman - director, R&D, TB Alliance 
• Dr Nalin Mehta - senior communications manager, The Global Fund, and joint editor, SAHC

The adverse scenario is further compounded by the lack of reliable serological diagnostic tests. The lack of a dependable serological test is so acute that even the World Health Organization (WHO) in its policy recommendation suggested that a ban be implemented on such tests as unreliable serological tests give imprecise results and cause inconsistent diagnosis of TB, thus leading to risk to human lives.