Diabetics at risk from TB

A leading diabetes expert has highlighted the greater risk that people suffering from diabetes have of getting tuberculosis (TB).
Dr. Anil Kapur, president of the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), commented “There are several studies and systematic reviews that indicates that people with diabetes might have 2 to 3 times higher risk of getting TB. Not only that, patients with TB and associated diabetes have increased mortality . The risk of mortality is much higher in TB patients who have co-existing diabetes.”
Recent research at the University of Texas School of Public Health found that people with type 2 diabetes could be at greater risk of contracting TB, and also that type 2 diabetes is associated with an altered immune response to TB, especially in patients with chronically high blood sugar . It also showed that patients with diabetes and TB took longer to respond to anti-TB treatment and are more likely to have multi-drug resistant TB.
He added, “There are also suggestions that there are interactions between drugs that are used for treating tuberculosis and managing diabetes, which would affect both the treatment of TB and diabetes.”
Dr. Kapur also pointed out that if one family member has diabetes, and another has TB, then the chance of the person with diabetes acquiring TB becomes higher.