TB is not limited to just cough and fever. 14.97 lakh TB patients have been found in India, in whom there were no obvious symptoms of the disease. Know what asymptomatic TB is, how it spreads, who are at greater risk and how it can be identified and prevented with AI technology.
TB Symptoms: Even if you do not have any problem like cough, fever or weakness, it is not necessary that you are completely safe from TB. Active TB disease can be present in the body without any obvious symptoms. Government figures released in India have drawn attention to this hidden danger. Of the 48.64 lakh new patients identified under the TB-free India campaign, about 14.97 lakh were those who did not show normal symptoms of the disease.
48.64 lakh patients identified, 31% had no symptoms
According to the central government, more than 25 crore people were screened across the country between December 7, 2024 and November 8, 2026 under the TB-free India campaign. During this period, more than 11 crore chest X-rays and more than 3 crore molecular tests were done. During these investigations, 48.64 lakh new TB patients were identified. Of these, about 31 percent i.e. 14.97 lakh patients were those in whom there were no obvious symptoms of the disease. This means that it is not possible to identify all TB patients based only on symptoms such as cough, fever and weakness. In such cases, screening and modern testing play an important role.
What is asymptomatic TB?
Active TB without obvious symptoms is called subclinical TB in medical language. In this, TB disease is present in the body, but the patient does not experience problems like persistent cough, fever, night sweats or weight loss. TB is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lungs, but can also reach other parts of the body such as bones, brain and kidneys. Here it is important to understand the difference between subclinical TB and latent TB infection. Subclinical TB involves active disease, while latent TB does not cause active disease even though the bacteria are present in the body and the person usually does not spread the infection.
Can infection spread even without cough?
Small particles containing the bacteria can spread into the air when a person with active and infectious TB of the lungs or throat breathes, speaks, coughs, or sneezes. These particles can enter the body of another person when he breathes. Some subclinical TB patients may have the ability to spread the infection despite not having obvious symptoms. However, not every asymptomatic patient is infectious. The likelihood of infection spreading depends on the stage of the disease and the presence of bacteria. The risk of TB may be relatively higher in people with diabetes, HIV, malnutrition, underweight, elderly and smokers. Apart from this, people living with a TB patient should also take special precautions.
TB is being identified through AI technology
Modern testing technologies like AI based chest X-ray and NAAT are being used in India for early detection of TB. AI technology helps identify possible changes associated with TB in X-rays. At the same time, NAAT i.e. Nucleic Acid Amplification Test is helpful in detecting the genetic material of TB bacteria in the patient’s sample. Some molecular tests can also provide information about the resistance of bacteria to drugs. However, AI based X-ray alone is not considered as final confirmation of TB. Doctors conduct molecular tests and other tests as per need.
38% decrease in deaths compared to 2015
According to WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2026, TB deaths in India have declined by about 38 percent between 2015 and 2025. Despite this, the spread of TB remains a major public health challenge in the country. According to experts, timely screening, proper testing and complete treatment are very important to control this disease. People who come in contact with a TB patient should get tested after consulting a doctor. At the same time, once the disease is confirmed, the full course of medicines should be taken and the treatment should not be stopped midway.