I know this is a bit off the usual but can any of the medical folk here tell me this: If i have had the TB inoculation that was given to everyone in New Zealand in High School (i think i had mine in 1978) am i safe from this drug resistant strain? Or is it something different? Thanks in advance
From the NZ Herald
TB cases increase 20% in four years, report warns
16.02.2004
Tuberculosis - a potentially lethal disease that was nearly wiped out in New Zealand - is making a comeback.
And those who think they are protected by vaccinations given between the 1960s and the 1980s should think again. The vaccine has been found to be only 50 per cent effective.
<snip>
Hope this helps.
Short answer is no.
Another TB question please:- If I had mild TB as a child (lived with TB granny in UK) - have scars on my lungs and a positive TB test in high school - now over 60 yrs - Do I likely have immunity??
No
No! This TB is so virulent six drugs in the treatment chain no longer work. The other drugs are older and have more side effects. I predict TB testing will become part of yearly blood tests for checkups.
They say with MDR-TB, that the treatment is more expensive than with normal TB(Dinno how much more but supposedly a lot more!). XDRTB is much more resistant than MDRTB. MDRTB is defined to be resistant to 2 drugs. XDRTB is defined to be resistant to 6 drugs. This thing will/hopefully-won’t be worse than Bird Flu………seriously! This thing does need awareness……….seriously!
TB continues to be the leading cause of death among infectious diseases. 3 million deaths per year worldwide. Development of these newer resistant strains correspond to the cutbacks in TB surveilance and treatment programs of the 90′s.
Don’t worry Blue, unless your immunocomprimised, it’s a slow death (years)
In the 4th grade I tested positive for TB,,,,exrays shown that I had had it and in fact I still have a small hole in my lung from that damage, but that I somehow overcame it on my own at that age. The docs told parents at least now he is better off than anyone that did not have it (had no lasting damage, just will always show I test positive). I am 60 now, and am reading the TB is making a comeback in the world and the US (due to influx of illegal aliens etc). Just another nail in this country slow demise I suspect and I wonder how the bird flu will affect the country as a whole when it does happen.
DH and I were just at the doctors Saturday for tetnus shots and hubby got hepatitis shots for his upcoming travel. Doc said hepatitis and TB (like gary said: from the illegal aliens) were the fastest growing disease(s) in the US.
3 million deaths per year (not sure the study date for that figure) and the leading PREVENTABLE cause of death from an ID for many, many years. Had a very good start at having it knocked way down worldwide and then we slacked off (read programs cut) and…..MDRTB/XDRTB
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