Wednesday 28 December 2011

Animals big source of TB infection: Expert

NAGPUR: Dr Ashok Kale, head preventive and social medicine (PSM) department of Dr Ulhas Patil Medical College, Jalgaon, said on Monday that tuberculosis in humans could not be controlled unless it was controlled in animals.

He was addressing a workshop conducted jointly by National Association for Welfare of Animals and Research (NAWAR) and Maharashtra Gazetted Veterinary Association, Nagpur Chapter. The workshop was a part of celebrations of World Veterinary Year - 2011.

Dr Kale said that the main reason behind failure of the government in tackling the spread of TB was that it was not giving enough attention to combating the disease in animals. "Animals are a big source of TB virus. The milk, excreta, breath of TB affected animals can spread the disease and most of us are unaware of this ," he said.

He further said that in western, developed countries the knowledge and awareness of this fact had led them to control the occurrence of the disease. "When we follow the west blindly in everything, why not in this," Dr Kale asked.

India had the highest population of cattle in the world and probably of TB patients too. In western countries, cattle were registered and their records maintained. Dr Kale said this system helped in spotting occurrences of TB in them and curing the animal. "It is time the government stops neglecting animals in the treatment of TB," he said.

Dr Gajanan Dange of Centre for Research and Strategic Planning for Substantial Development, Pune, said that dynamics of development were changing and that an inclusive and bottom to top flow of activities was emerging as pathway for growth.

"Such small issues which till now were being neglected play a big role and have a great impact on productivity and development. That is why it is important that issues like these are taken up at regional levels and from there at higher levels," he added.

Secretary of NAWAR Dr Ajay Poharka informed that a Centre of Excellence on Zoonotics was to come up in Nagpur with the efforts of the Nagpur Veterinary College, ICAR and ICMR.

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