The new study conducted in USA shows that people with diabetes are at increased risk of developing tuberculosis. Writing on the issue Drs. Christie Y. Jeon and Megan B. Murray, says that merging epidemics of diabetes and TB, such as India and China, are experiencing the fastest increase in diabetes cases and the highest burden of TB in the world. Factually, TB kills 1.6 million people every year.

 

According to these researchers an association between diabetes and TB is biologically plausible, for diabetes impairs the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight against infection. Analyzing the situation the duo researchers Jeon and Murray said that global TB control efforts should consider targeting patients with diabetes.

 

Nearly 1.7 million participants were studied by Jeon, and Murray to come into any conclusion. There were 17,698 cases of TB. Studying the cases, one combined with diabetes and TB, researchers reached into conclusion that having diabetes increases the risk of active TB by about a factor of three. The study shows its apprehension that diabetes may already be responsible for more than 10 percent of TB cases in India and China.