Doctors Struggling to Fight 'Totally Drug-Resistant' Tuberculosis in South Africa

[davidn3600]

In a patient's fight against tuberculosis—the bacterial lung disease that kills more people annually than any infectious disease besides HIV— doctors have more than 10 drugs from which to choose. Most of those didn't work for Uvistra Naidoo, a South African doctor who contracted the disease in his clinic. For those who contract the disease now, maybe none of them will.

A new paper published earlier this week in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal warns that the first cases of "totally drug-resistant" tuberculosis have been found in South Africa and that the disease is "virtually untreatable."

Like many bacterial diseases, tuberculosis has been evolving to fend off many effective antibiotics, making it more difficult to treat. But even treatable forms of the disease are particularly tricky to cure; drug sensitive strains must be treated with a six-month course of antibiotics. Tougher cases require long-term hospitalization and a regimen of harsh drugs that can last years.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/02/11/doctors-struggling-totally-drug-resistant-tuberculosis-south-africa

[aquart]

1. The next millennium is going to be such fun.

[pansypoo53219]

2. especially if the meat industry gets its way. weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[DreamGypsy]

3. The full report from the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) ...

... is available here: Emergence and Spread of Extensively and Totally Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, South Africa

Abstract

Factors driving the increase in drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, are not understood. Using a convenience sample of 309 drug-susceptible and 342 multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB isolates, collected July 2008–July 2009, we characterized them by spoligotyping, DNA fingerprinting, insertion site mapping, and targeted DNA sequencing. Analysis of molecular-based data showed diverse genetic backgrounds among drug-sensitive and MDR TB sensu stricto isolates in contrast to restricted genetic backgrounds among pre–extensively drug-resistant (pre-XDR) TB and XDR TB isolates. Second-line drug resistance was significantly associated with the atypical Beijing genotype. DNA fingerprinting and sequencing demonstrated that the pre-XDR and XDR atypical Beijing isolates evolved from a common progenitor; 85% and 92%, respectively, were clustered, indicating transmission. Ninety-three percent of atypical XDR Beijing isolates had mutations that confer resistance to 10 anti-TB drugs, and some isolates also were resistant to para-aminosalicylic acid. These findings suggest the emergence of totally drug-resistant TB.

[farminator3000]

4. blame monsanto

Monsanto South Africa
www.monsanto.co.za/en/layout/default.asp
6 December 2012 – Monsanto launches new “Dis mos Boerdery™” board game · Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program · 21 September 2012 ...

wtf??? ^^^ "this is farming"????

MY ASS IT IS! the word for farm is BOER? wha????