Tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus: merging epidemics.

The link between tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) has occupied the center stage of discussion. Experts have raised concern about the merging epidemics of tuberculosis and diabetes particularly in the low to medium income countries like India and China that have the highest burden of TB in the world, and are experiencing the fastest increase in the prevalence of DM. There is good evidence that DM makes a substantial contribution to TB incidence. The huge prevalence of DM in India, may be contributing to the increasing prevalence of TB. This review looks at the link between these two merging epidemics. We discuss the epidemiology, clinical features, microbiology and radiology, and management and treatment outcomes of patients with tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus.