BHOPAL: Genetic science researchers from across the country have turned their focus to genomic factors that may underlie the abnormally high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) among the Sahariyas, one of the three Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Madhya Pradesh.

The Sahariya population is largely concentrated in the Gwalior–Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh, particularly in Sheopur, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashoknagar, Gwalior, Morena and Bhind districts, with some presence in adjoining parts of Bundelkhand. Reported TB prevalence among the community ranges between 1,518 and 3,294 cases per 100,000 population, at least eight times higher than the national average of 187 per lakh.

According to the World Health Organization’s Global TB Report 2025, India, despite remaining among high-burden countries, has recorded a 21 per cent decline in new TB cases, from 237 per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024. Against this backdrop, the Sahariyas stand out as an extreme outlier.

The ongoing research is being led by Prof Gyaneshwar Chaubey, a noted geneticist and biological anthropologist at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, in collaboration with researchers from several institutions, including the University of Calcutta and the Forensic Science Laboratory, Jabalpur. The team has already made a significant breakthrough by linking rare maternal mitochondrial haplogroups, N5 and X2, to heightened TB susceptibility among the Sahariyas.