New TB strains threaten health worldwide

The incidence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is raising alarms, not least because of its rapidly increasing rates in affluent Western cities. MDR-TB has been an increasingly serious problem across Asia and Africa for several decades, affecting populations made more susceptible by the greater prevalence of AIDS and poorer health care infrastructure. Now, the spread of the multi-drug resistant strain to Western cities, as well as the recent emergence of what appears to be a totally drug-resistant strain (TDR-TB), has renewed efforts to contain and treat the disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will meet this Wednesday to discuss the seemingly-insoluble problem of TDR-TB. Currently, the WHO recognizes three strains of TB: the most common strain, which can be cured with a six-month course of antibiotics; the MDR-TB strain; and the extensively drug-resistant strain, known as XDR-TB.

In 2010, 8.8 million people worldwide had TB. The worldwide TB death toll is about one-and a half-million, which means that more than two people are killed by TB each minute. The WHO predicts that more than 2 million people will contract MDR-TB by 2015.

This is an enormous public health issue worldwide, says ACSH s Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. Fortunately, there are at least two drugs being tested in late-stage trials that seem to be effective against MDR-TB, which has infected about 650,000 people globally. Research labs worldwide are working on developing new treatments for XDR-TB and TDR-TB as well.