Drug-resistant TB could become unmanageable
Infection Control Weekly Monitor, April 8, 2009
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Global experts are worried that a form of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) could quickly become a worldwide problem, leaving physicians to fight the disease without the help of modern drugs.
In a three day forum in Beijing, China, Margaret Chan, MD, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), urged health officials in 27 countries to recognize the warning signs for these strains of TB, which can be 100-200 times more costly to treat than regular TB, according to the Miami Herald.
Outbreaks of this strain have been highest in India, China, Russia, South Africa, and Bangladesh. Scientists are now finding even worse strands of the disease, which are resistant to more expensive second-line drugs.
“This is a situation set to spiral out of control. Call it what you may: a time bomb or a powder keg. Any way you look at it, this is a potentially explosive situation,” Chan was quoted in the newspaper.
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