WHO says drug-resistant TB spreads fast

[Mary]

LONDON - Drug-resistant tuberculosis is spreading even faster than medical experts had feared, the World Health Organization warned in report issued Tuesday. The rate of TB patients infected with the drug-resistant strain topped 20 percent in some countries, the highest ever recorded, the U.N. agency said.

 

"Ten years ago, it would have been unthinkable to see rates like this," said Dr. Mario Raviglione, director of WHO's "Stop TB" department. "This demonstrates what happens when you keep making mistakes in TB treatment."

 

Though the report is the largest survey of drug-resistant TB, based on information collected between 2002 and 2006, there are still major gaps: Data were only available from about half of the world's countries.

 

In Africa, where experts are particularly worried about a lethal collision between TB and AIDS, only six countries provided information.

[observer]

And immigrants from the affected areas are entering this country without any medical screening whatsoever - and this Government talks about it's duty to protect it's citizens.

[Chrissy]

And english people going abroad and picking it up and bringing it here. Shocking!! We should stop all english people travelling anywhere-no more holidays, no more business trips, lock them all in their homes-that should work.

[Peter T]

Chrissy, observer has a valid point. Do you not think it important?

[Chrissy]

I think really the important point is to take responsibility. In the Uk successive governments have sanctioned a health service that over prescribes medication, especially antibiotics, because doctors are not given time to listen to their patients. The over reliance on antibiotics has led to the current situation where we have no defence against some of the most serious illnesses.

I just don't think playing the race card is at all helpful.

[observer]

Typical wishy washy liberal denial: the race card? Did I mention any specific race? NO. And your attempted sarcasm about zero travel, is in fact one of the answers to reducing disease spread; or is that too inconvenient for your little liberal dream world. I guess it's not really a joke, that all the liberals went down with the Titanic, cos they couldn't get round to taking decisive action! It's common sense, that in an age of rapidly mutating super-bugs, plus rapid transport, any outbreak will rapidly spread. The answer being medical screening prior to such travel (at least from high risk areas); more Government investment in new drug research, and rapid isolation of affected cases.

[Peter T]

Chrissie,

You need to get your LD head out of the sand and find out what goes on in the real world.

Even on tonights news, "illegal" immigrants are getting caught. What diseases do they bring with them? Forget the racist claptrap, deal with the problems.

[Chrissy]

So your answer is what? I'm not quite with you. Would you suggest that EVERYONE who enters or leaves the country should be screened on every occasion? Or international travel should be halted? How plausible are either suggestions?

(and please cut the party political claptrap at every turn - the elections are over and there is no need for you to be abusive. All views should be welcomed here)

[observer]

Simple applied common sense precautions: 1) No one enters this Country without having been medically screened at one of our Embassies in the Country of origin, as a condition of visa issue. 2) Ensure innoculation/vaccines for regular travelers. 3) Traffic light warnings system for low/medium/high risk areas, and zero travel in cases of serious outbreak. 4) UK quarantine system for suspected cases, and provision of seperate isolation hospitals. Encourage increase use of IT conferencing technology thus reducing need to travel (by air) in first place (might reduce our carbon footprint!).5) Massive investment in medical drug research programmes, to try to stay ahead of mutating organisms (they've just identified a new one in our hospitals btw). The threat and possible consequences from epidemics is far more serious than anything so-called terrorists could do, and thus requires appropriate vigilance.