Drug-resistant TB coming to U.S. from abroad

[ckramer]

Immigrants may be steadily bringing new cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis into the United States, hampering efforts to eradicate the deadly infection, researchers said on Tuesday.

The report, published in a special issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association focusing on TB, showed the need for global control of the ancient disease, the researchers said.

The World Health Organization estimates 2 billion people, or a third of the world's population, have tuberculosis. The disease, which has troubled humankind for thousands of years, kills 2 million people a year.

The AIDS epidemic has fueled a resurgence of TB, which is especially deadly to those with immune systems weakened by HIV. Efforts to treat TB have resulted in mutated forms called drug-resistant TB, which results when patients do not complete months of treatment with a cocktail of antibiotics.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07444447.htm">link

I hope these rich millionaires got it too when they go shopping or having fun in Disney or eating in a restaurent...It's drug resistant!!! See how ignoring poverty in this country and the world would do to them?

[endarkenment]

1. Actually we grew our versions right here at home.

Immigrants might be bringing in some new cases, but our 30-year decommittment from public health services has done a much better job of creating drug resistent TB than immigrants do. Actually, come to think of it, immigrants from third world countries with TB that has never been treated would likely NOT have drug resistent TB. Drug resistent TB develops in countries where treatment occurs but is haphazard and especially where there is little or no attempt ot follow up and make sure that patients stay on their medication. That exactly describes how we managed to grow drug resistent TB right here at home all on our own as the endless cycle of "no new taxes" deconstruction of the social and physical infrastructure had the obviously predictable consequences.

[pocket]

2. just tell me the broad's name

so I can stay away from her!

[Deja Q]

3. Well, the corporate masters won't care until it impacts their bottom line.

Maybe they'll contract it along with the rest of us.

[Daphne08]

4. Your link isn't working

Let's try this:

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2005-06-07T185939Z_01_N07450097_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-TUBERCULOSIS-DC.XML

[ckramer]

5. Thanks...I forgot to take that http thing out

[sam sarrha]

6. Mexicans wont quit using the antibiotic in over the counter cough syrup.!!

a popular cough syrup in Mexico has the antibiotic used to fight TB..

by the time they are toddlers they are totally resistant to it.. this drug is the only one left to fight TB.. but the Mexican Government wont do anything about it... campaign contributions

[sam sarrha]

7. poverty spreads it faster than anything.. it is not uncommon in states

with burgeoning migrant populations to have many people/families actually living in small apartments or houses in "Shifts". I knew a guy that lived in a rural CA farm that rented out old cars and vans, chicken coops.. to migrants "IN SHIFTS"..just a place to sleep for 8 hours..!! it isnt uncommon