Medical experts here are concerned about the British government’s new rule, which makes tuberculosis (TB) tests mandatory to avail of a visa to visit the country for six months or more. They say it is unwarranted and discriminatory. Doctors maintain that around 40 per cent of Indians have latent or hidden TB, but tests to diagnose the disease can often be incorrect. For example, a person on steroids will test negative even if he has latent TB, while a person without latent TB bacteria can show positive as the mantoux or tuberculin test and the blood test to detect latent TB are not foolproof.
Also, taking unnecessary prophylaxis (treatment to prevent disease or stop it from spreading) for six months to guard against latent TB can lead to chances of developing resistance when only INH (prophylaxis) drug is taken. Dr K. Subhakar, professor of TB and Chest Diseases, Osmania Medical College and zonal task force chairman of RNTCP, said, “The mantoux or the tuberculin test and interferon gama assay or blood test, used for detecting latent TB is not always accurate. So prophylaxis shouldn’t be given to anyone found having latent TB, but only to the immuno-suppressive people such as those having HIV and those who have propensity to develop full blown TB.” He said that every alternate person in India suffers from latent TB.