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 28 August 2008 07:33 BST

'Untreatable' strain of TB found in UK for first time

Friday, 21 Mar 2008 18:29
Drug-resistant strain of TB found in UK hospital
A drug-resistant strain of TB has been identified in the UK for the first time, sparking a hunt for others who may have been infected.

A Somali man in his 30s, was admitted to Gartnavel hospital in Glasgow last January with tuberculosis (TB). Cultures later found the XDR strain of the disease - which is resistant to antibiotics - and health officials were called in to trace anyone the man may have been in contact with.

Professor Peter Davis, secretary of TB Alert in the UK, said: "We are aware that it is quite prevalent in other parts of the world. Because our country is no longer separated from disease by the channel, we have got to be aware of it."

The strain is extremely serious and virtually untreatable, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is particularly dangerous because it is resistant to both first and second-line drugs.

Treatment takes 12 to 18 months and costs more than £100,000 a patient.

Dr Oliver Blatchford, a consultant at the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS public health unit, said: "XDR-TB is no more infectious than ordinary TB, but does require different treatment.

"The contacts of this case are being screened in the same way as ordinary TB contacts and will be monitored closely to ensure that any further cases are identified early and treated quickly."

The WHO has expressed concern over the emergence of virulent drug-resistant strains of TB and is calling for measures to be strengthened and implemented to prevent the global spread of the deadly TB strains.

Resistance to anti-TB drugs is largely due to incorrect drug prescribing, poor quality drugs or erratic supply of drugs, and also the failure of patients to complete their six-month course, the WHO said.

XDR-TB has been identified in all regions of the world but is most frequent in the countries of the former Soviet Union and in Asia.End of story


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