: Deadly and resistant TB strain reported in Epworth

Deadly and resistant TB strain reported in Epworth
================================================================================
The Herald on 09 March, 2010 11:41:00
 
Health experts say the disease has an 80 percent mortality rate. In a recent
interview at Epworth Clinic, which is run by Medecins sans Frontieres (Holland),
Mr Zakaria Mwatia confirmed the cases, saying the disease attacks people with
weakened immune systems.
Mr Mwatia said samples had been taken to Bulawayo for laboratory analysis and
came back positive for the TB strain.
"TB is one of the opportunistic infections that we treat at Epworth Clinic and
we can confirm a case (MDR-TB) in one of our patients," he said.
MDR–TB is resistant against major TB drugs, rifampicin and isoniazid, while
Extreme Drug Resistant TB resists even flouroquinolones and injectable
aminoglycosides.
Mr Mwatia said Zimbabwe did not have treatment for MDR-TB. Head of the Aids and
TB Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Dr Owen Mugurungi said they
were yet to receive the reports.
MDR-TB results from poor adherence to prescriptions or inappropriate treatment.
It can also be found in people who develop TB after completing a previous course
of first-line drugs and in those who come from areas where MDR-TB is common.
It is unusual for MDR-TB to be contagious except in sero-positive people or
those with seriously suppressed immune systems.