TITLE:
Predictors of Re-Emerging Tuberculosis: A Review
AUTHORS:
Rafiq Shajahan, Parasakthi Navaratnam, Ganesh Kasinathan, Amudha Kadirvelu, Naganathan Pillai
KEYWORDS:
Tuberculosis, Risk Factors, Predictors, Socio-Economic, Comorbidities
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.3 No.3,
March
22,
2016
ABSTRACT: Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly disease that still remains a global burden
despite of world-wide measures to curb the disease. As of 2015, the goals of the
WHO STOP TB Strategy (2006-2015) have been met and the new WHO End TB Strategy
(2015-2030) has been implemented with aim of eradicating the disease. Following
that, further studies have demonstrated that TB is a disease that cannot be
controlled purely by anti-tuberculous medication alone. It is widely understood
that various factors such as rising income inequality, overcrowding populations,
compliance to healthcare and resistance pose great barriers to the eradication
of disease. In many developing countries including Malaysia, TB is showing or
re-emerging trend in both reported cases and resistance. Various predictors for
poor disease outcome have been mentioned in the literature such as demographic
factors, socio-economic instability and severe comorbidities amongst the population.
Therefore, a prompt review and understanding of the factors at play in the sequestration
of TB cases in high risk groups may better inform preventative measures in the
future.