TUBERCULOSIS – GLOBAL CHALLENGE

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases responsible for millions of deaths annually across the world. As TB is a slowly progressive disease, the symptoms are usually very discrete at the beginning, become more prominent with time and depend on the site of disease manifestation. Early diagnosis of TB is important in the control of TB both for treatment of patients and curbing transmission to others in the community. WHO launched many strategies to promote TB control including DOTS strategy and the “Ending TB Strategy” by the year 2035.