Mon Mar 24 15:42:04 UTC 2025: ## India’s Genomic Sequencing Project Sheds Light on Drug-Resistant TB

**New Delhi, March 25, 2025** – India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) announced a significant milestone in its fight against tuberculosis (TB) on World TB Day. The DBT has completed genomic sequencing of 10,000 out of a planned 32,500 samples of *Mycobacterium tuberculosis*, the bacteria responsible for TB. This initiative, part of the “Dare2eraD TB” program, aims to improve understanding of drug-resistant strains and the unique genomic characteristics of TB in India.

Preliminary results reveal that 7% of the sequenced samples exhibit resistance to at least one drug. Nine labs across the DBT, CSIR, and ICMR are collaborating on this project, with completion expected by October 2025.

The genomic sequencing is crucial in India’s broader effort to eliminate TB by 2025, a goal set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. While this ambition precedes the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2030 target, India currently faces a significant challenge: it carries the highest burden of diagnosed TB cases globally, accounting for approximately 28% of new cases.

Further complicating the issue is the high prevalence of latent TB, with estimates suggesting potentially 3,000 cases per million. This asymptomatic population contributes significantly to the spread of the disease.

Dr. Debasisa Mohanty, Director of the National Institute of Immunology (NII), highlighted the potential for artificial intelligence to accelerate TB diagnosis, reducing confirmation time from three weeks to just one. The sequenced samples showed that most TB cases affect individuals aged 18-45, with a significant number exhibiting diabetes and underweight conditions. The data gathered will be instrumental in developing more effective strategies to combat TB in India.

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