World Medical Association (WMA) Course on Tuberculosis (TB) and Multi Drug Resistant TB

World Medical Association (WMA) Course on Tuberculosis (TB) and Multi Drug Resistant TB

Dr K K Aggarwal and Dr S S Agarwal

The WMA is running a free course on Tuberculosis (TB) and Multi Drug Resistant TB, developed in association with the New Jersey Medical School Global TB Institute, available online on the WMA website. Management of TB has become increasingly complex due to the disease’s increasing mutability and resistance to drugs used to combat it.

Use of second-line drugs and/or resectional surgery may be required in the management of drug-resistant TB. Drug resistance in the primary form is believed to occur in patients who have never received an anti-TB therapy. Secondary resistance relates to resistance developed during or post chemotherapy in patient previously with drug-susceptible TB. Multi drug resistant tuberculosis is defined as an isolate of M. tuberculosis, which is resistant to rifampin and isoniazid at least, in addition to other agents.

The highest incidence of TB world-over is reported in India, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2013 statistics, with an estimated composition of 2.1 / 9 million cases globally, with about 40% of the Indian population infected with TB, a majority of which is latent. Physicians across India should note their responsibility in reducing India’s global contribution to this infectious disease burden, and take the time to access this WMA coursework.

The WMA has been at the forefront of developing content for the be global physician community, and it is recommended that this course is reviewed as part of continuing learning required from the profession.