Editorial NOSOCOMIAL TUBERCULOSIS IN THE ERA OF DRUG RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS Indian Journal of Tuberculosis

Occupational exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis constitutes a potential health hazard for health care workers (HCWs) worldwide. Recent reports from developing countries have shown that HCWs caring for patients with infectious TB are at high risk of acquiring M. tuberculosis infection and disease. With the emergence of XDR strains of TB, there is growing concern about nosocomial transmission and there is a need to protect HCWs from TB. The risk of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patients with TB to other patients and HCWs has been recognized for many years1. The level of risk varies by patient population and effectiveness of TB infection control measures. The risk is higher in places where large numbers of infectious TB patients are being treated, who are not rapidly diagnosed, isolated and treated, particularly in the absence of other infection control measures such as respiratory protection2. The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed practical and low-cost interventions to reduce nosocomial transmission in settings where resources are limited3,4. These recommendations emphasize prompt diagnosis and rapid treatment of TB rather than expensive technologies, such as isolation rooms and respirators. Most developed countries implement TB infection control programmes to reduce the risk of nosocomial transmission5. However; such control programmes are not routinely implemented i