Anti-TB drug shows toxic side-effects
By, Mail&Guardian, February 11, 2007
A second-line drug treating extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is having toxic side-effects on patients in KwaZulu-Natal, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Saturday.
Curing XDR-TB, a deadly strain of the infectious disease that emerged in the Tugela Ferry region of KwaZulu-Natal in 2005, is becoming more difficult and more people are dying, the report said.
"Some of the patients have experienced side-effects such as vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness and capriomason. Some patients have had electrolytes imbalances, which has proven difficult to treat," said Iqbal Master, a doctor at the King George Hospital.
Up to 184 people have died from XDR-TB in the Umsinga area of the province alone, despite intervention from the international community and the World Health Organisation.
The province has spent R32-million on fighting the spread of the disease, the report said.
The deadly strain of TB is more prevalent in patients who are HIV-positive.
The rise in HIV infection levels and the neglect of TB control programmes have contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB. -- Sapa
Source: http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=298689&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/
A second-line drug treating extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is having toxic side-effects on patients in KwaZulu-Natal, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Saturday.
Curing XDR-TB, a deadly strain of the infectious disease that emerged in the Tugela Ferry region of KwaZulu-Natal in 2005, is becoming more difficult and more people are dying, the report said.
"Some of the patients have experienced side-effects such as vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness and capriomason. Some patients have had electrolytes imbalances, which has proven difficult to treat," said Iqbal Master, a doctor at the King George Hospital.
Up to 184 people have died from XDR-TB in the Umsinga area of the province alone, despite intervention from the international community and the World Health Organisation.
The province has spent R32-million on fighting the spread of the disease, the report said.
The deadly strain of TB is more prevalent in patients who are HIV-positive.
The rise in HIV infection levels and the neglect of TB control programmes have contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB. -- Sapa
Source: http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=298689&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 1:50 pm
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