Tuberculosis remains a significant health threat despite progress against it. It is anticipated that tuberculosis (TB) will account for 1.3 million fatalities globally in 2022, continuing its trend as the world's leading cause of death. About 25% of people on the planet have Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, and 10% of those infections can proceed to active TB illness. It will be difficult to meet the targets set by the World Health Organization End TB Strategy, which calls for a 90% global decrease in TB incidence and a 95% reduction in TB mortality by 2035.

Even though progress in combating TB and new treatments for MDR-TB is still there are still new cases every day all over the world causing a burden on health authorities now new challenges come to the forefront regarding emerging biologic therapy every day and approval types but still the tumor necrosis factor- α inhibitors (TNF-α) are most relevant to reactivation of latent TB, As compared to current data on background rates, there are now several reports of TB in close temporal relationship with the commencement of TNF-α inhibitors and an elevated rate of TB among patients treated with infliximab. 

So, in the future, we need not only concentrate on the discovery of new cases and treat them or screening of contacts to cases but need to target the latent tuberculosis among patients with immunotherapy with biologic treatments like anti (TNF-α) to prevent reactivation and find new tests for screening other than tuberculin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assay [IGRA]

Role of mobile teams of tuberculosis in targeting latent tuberculosis:

Mobile teams of tuberculosis in the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia have an important role in the early discovery of cases by conducting tests of contacts and screening among employees at the Ministry of Health and also by health education of patients' contacts and in overcrowded areas people, also the travelers and students but need by mobile teams to target latent tuberculosis among patients on immunotherapy like patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer patients so the emerging biologic therapy at increased every year as biologic therapy now applied in all aspects of diseases

Mobile teams can follow up with the patients with biologic therapy for any symptoms and early interventions before the dissemination of tuberculosis and become military TB

Amr Ahmed is the Director of the Shubra Tuberculosis Mobile Team at the Riyadh First Health Cluster, under the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. With a background in public health, he leads efforts to combat tuberculosis through innovative mobile healthcare services. His work focuses on enhancing access to medical care and improving health outcomes in the community, particularly for vulnerable populations. Amr Ahmed's role plays a crucial part in Saudi Arabia's ongoing public health initiatives and its response to tuberculosis control.