In a recent development in Tajikistan, a new one-step method for diagnosing tuberculosis in children has been introduced. As reported by "Asia Plus," the Deputy Director of the Republican Center for Tuberculosis Prevention, Aslidin Rajabzoda, revealed that this simple method allows for the diagnosis to be established through the examination of a child's stool, without the need for additional equipment.
Previously, diagnosing tuberculosis in children required inducing artificial coughing to obtain sputum, which was not always successful, especially in children under five years old who found it difficult to produce sputum. The new method has been implemented in the Children's Tuberculosis Hospital in Dushanbe and training has been provided to specialists in various cities and districts across the country to further implement this method in their respective centers.
Rajabzoda also mentioned that this method is recommended by the World Health Organization. In May of last year, the Ministry of Health of Tajikistan reported a decrease in tuberculosis incidence in the country from 85 to 39 cases per 100,000 population. The mortality rate among tuberculosis patients is also showing a decreasing trend, with only one fatal case per 100,000 people in the country.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that is a major cause of health deterioration and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, tuberculosis was considered the most deadly infectious disease, surpassing HIV/AIDS. The disease is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which spreads when individuals with tuberculosis release bacteria into the air, for example, through coughing.
While tuberculosis primarily affects the lungs (pulmonary tuberculosis), it can also affect other parts of the body. Tuberculosis is curable, but without treatment, the mortality rate is high (around 50%). Each year, 239,000 children die from tuberculosis. Researchers note that children with tuberculosis rarely die with standard treatment, but 90% of the deceased children were not treated.
