This article reviews the current best diagnostic tools available for TB diagnosis and monitoring, and describes the most important gaps, and translational challenges for developing innovative products that can meet the needs.

Interview with Professor Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD by Claire Raison

India accounts for a quarter of the 8.6 million cases of TB that occur worldwide. India also accounts for a third of the ‘missing 3 million TB cases’ that do not get diagnosed or notified. Not only is TB not going away, we are now seeing severe forms of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of India’s biggest health problems. Every year, India reports over 2 million TB cases. With the emergence of severe forms of drug‑resistant TB and concerns about TB drug shortages, there is much work to be done to control the epidemic.

World TB Day is a good time to take stock of progress in global TB control. Unfortunately, TB continues to be major public health threat, with an estimated 8.7 million new cases per year, and an estimated 1.4 million deaths from TB. Early case detection and rapid treatment continues to remain the cornerstone of TB control strategy. With the incidence of TB declining very slowly, it is now obvious that TB cannot be eliminated by 2050.