Lethal TB strain now in all provinces
By, SABCnews.com, February 12, 2007
Extreme drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) can be traced to all provinces, the health department said today. The lethal form of the infectious disease first emerged in the Tugela Ferry region of KwaZulu-Natal two years ago. Sibani Mngadi, the health department spokesperson, said 269 cases of XDR-TB had been recorded nationally.
"The Department of Health is working with local and international stakeholders and experts including the SA Medical Research Council and the World Health Organisation to address the challenge of XDR-TB," he said
The department issued the statement in response to drastic new measures proposed by the Johannesburg-based Public Library of Science -including infection monitoring at airports and border posts and the isolation of patients, even against their will - to prevent the spread of XDR-TB.
Varying statistics
This came amid conflicting reports of how many people had died in the Eastern Cape from the disease. Figures released by the Johannesburg-based National TB Control Unit last week put the death toll from XDR-TB at 183 nationally since it was identified in September last year.
The unit said some 328 cases of XDR-TB had been identified and added that its own figure showed that some 18 people had died from the disease in the Eastern Cape.
The deadly strain of TB was more prevalent in patients who were HIV positive. The rise in HIV infection levels and the neglect of TB control programmes contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB. - Sapa
Source: Lethal TB strain now in all provinces
Extreme drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) can be traced to all provinces, the health department said today. The lethal form of the infectious disease first emerged in the Tugela Ferry region of KwaZulu-Natal two years ago. Sibani Mngadi, the health department spokesperson, said 269 cases of XDR-TB had been recorded nationally.
"The Department of Health is working with local and international stakeholders and experts including the SA Medical Research Council and the World Health Organisation to address the challenge of XDR-TB," he said
The department issued the statement in response to drastic new measures proposed by the Johannesburg-based Public Library of Science -including infection monitoring at airports and border posts and the isolation of patients, even against their will - to prevent the spread of XDR-TB.
Varying statistics
This came amid conflicting reports of how many people had died in the Eastern Cape from the disease. Figures released by the Johannesburg-based National TB Control Unit last week put the death toll from XDR-TB at 183 nationally since it was identified in September last year.
The unit said some 328 cases of XDR-TB had been identified and added that its own figure showed that some 18 people had died from the disease in the Eastern Cape.
The deadly strain of TB was more prevalent in patients who were HIV positive. The rise in HIV infection levels and the neglect of TB control programmes contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB. - Sapa
Source: Lethal TB strain now in all provinces
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 2:10 pm
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