The risk of progression from exposure to the tuberculosis bacilli to the development of active
disease is a two‐stage process governed by both exogenous and endogenous risk factors.
Exogenous factors play a key role in accentuating the progression from exposure to infection
among which the bacillary load in the sputum and the proximity of an individual to an
infectious TB case are key factors. Similarly endogenous factors lead in progression from
infection to active TB disease. Along with well‐established risk factors (such as human …

India, the world's most populous nation, also had the highest absolute number of
Tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2011. The Revised National TB Control Program (RNTCP) has
implemented the Directly Observed Treated Short Course (DOTS) strategy throughout the
country but with suboptimal population coverage with the remainder cared for by the private
sector. Treatment success rates above 85% have consistently been reported by the national
TB program, but independent evaluation has been limited. The aim of this thesis was to …