Pediatric Dr. TB: A neglected epidemic

ABSTRACT

Background: Amidst fight against COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to mitigate other communicable disease threatening public health including TB has taken a back step. Limited evidence exists about the change in prevalence of Pediatric Dr. TB post 2020. Objective: The study aimed to find out the change in prevalence of Pediatric DR TB pre and post 2020. Methods: Descriptive retrospective and prospective study. Pediatric Dr. TB was defined on the basis of Gene X pert/ line probe assay and/ or drug susceptibility testing (DST). Results: Prevalence of Pediatric Dr. TB in year 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (January-September) were 17.4%, 15.1%, 18.4% and 16.6% respectively in the age group of 1-18 years. Majority (93.9%, 90.5%, 89.5%, 96.8%) had pulmonary TB. Cumulative prevalence of Pediatric Dr. TB for the 24 months of year 2018 & 2019 was 16.3% while it was 17.6% for the 21 months of year 2020 & 2021 (January-September). It reveals an increase of 4.1%. On extrapolating the prevalence rate of Dr. TB for the 9 months of year 2021, prevalence rate of Dr. TB by the end of year 2021 is expected to be 22.1%. Among Dr. TB, prevalence (%) of XDR TB;MDR TB;monoresistant TB for year 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021 was (10.9,88.0,1.1), (5.1,92.8,2.1), (3.4,94.9,1.7) and (7.4,91.6,1.0) respectively. Conclusion: With this report of increase in prevalence of Pediatric Dr. TB, it has become the need of the hour to start focusing on TB vigorously and to take uncompromising relentless measures to achieve the country's vision to eliminate TB by 2025.