host posted on August 08, 2006 22:47
Arwyp’s infection control department recently compiled this article for the Kempton Express
Since the emergency international conference that was held in Johannesburg on 7-8 September 2006 to discuss the topic, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has hit the headlines on most radio-stations and in several newspapers.
MDR-TB describes strains of TB that are resistant to at least two of the known TB drugs. It has now become known that there is another extreme drug resistant TB strain that has been identified mainly in KwaZulu-Natal. This strain, called XDR-TB, is resistant to three or more of the six classes of second-line drugs. In South-Africa at present there is no available treatment for XDR-TB.
In KwaZulu-Natal 53 patients were diagnosed with XDR TB. Of the 44 patients that were tested for HIV, all were positive. The others had symptoms strongly suggestive of HIV. Of the 53 patients there was only one survivor, which proves a very high mortality rate. These patients died on average within 25 days.
Given the HIV epidemic in South-Africa, XDR-TB could pose a major health threat and urgent preventative action is necessary.
In order to prevent this from becoming an epidemic, a unified approach from health specialists and providers in the public and the private sector is necessary.
In hospitals stricter infection control measures will have to be practiced, because TB is an airborne disease and bacteria can stay suspended in the air for several hours. Measures have to be taken to protect staff, other patients and visitors to patients.
The symptoms of tuberculosis include a persistent cough, fever, weight loss and general feeling of weakness.
According to information available XDR-TB had been found in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Western Cape and North West. Fears are that HIV could fast-track this disease causing it to develop into an epidemic.