Africa Knowledge Management Portal
Informing health decisions and actions
Collaborative framework for care and control of tuberculosis and diabetes
Global Health Security Capacities
Communicable Diseases
Description
Diabetes triples the risk of developing tuberculosis (TB). Consequently, rates of TB are higher in people with diabetes than in the general population, and diabetes is a common comorbidity in people with TB. Diabetes can worsen the clinical course of TB, and TB can worsen glycaemic control in people with diabetes. Individuals with both conditions thus require careful clinical management. Strategies are needed to ensure that optimal care is provided to patients with both diseases: TB must be diagnosed early in people with diabetes, and diabetes must be diagnosed early in people with TB.