In 2006, the detection rate went down to 3 percent from 6 percent between 2001 and 2005. For every five TB cases diagnosed globally, four cases were not detected. The WHO estimates that only 61 percent of all TB cases worldwide are registered.
India has 2.5 million people living with HIV and tuberculosis recorded 1.9 new cases yearly, making it the largest single cause of death in India.
Globally in 2006, there were 9.2 million new TB cases and 1.7 million deaths. Of these 200,000 deaths were among people infected with HIV.
India, China, Indonesia, South Africa and Nigeria rank as the top five countries in terms of tuberculosis cases.
"Progress in case detection decelerated globally between 2005 and 2006, stalled in China and India and fell short of the global plan milestone of 65 percent for 2006. The African region, China and India collectively account for 69 percent of undetected cases," the report's authors wrote in a statement.
When the patient does not complete a full six-month course treatment, the bacterium becomes resistant to drugs and drug-resistant TB happens. Drug-resistant TB, like the usual form, can be transmitted through the air to someone else.
