Becomes an old enemy: tuberculosis

Becomes an old enemy: tuberculosis. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns Europe of increased tuberculosis variant highly resistant to major antibiotics used in TB treatment. "TB is an ancient disease that never faded, and now returns with a vengeance to develop," said Zsuzsanna Jakab, director of WHO Europe .

Today TB kills about 1.7 million people a year, according to the WHO and the Stop Tuberculosis, 15 of the 27 countries with highest number of cases of tuberculosis are more resistant in Europe. It is estimated that the world has some 440,000 new cases, one-fifth are in Europe. The highest rates of patients are given in Eastern Europe but spread rapidly. London is the capital of Western Europe with more patients, about 3,500 a year.

There are currently two types of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDBR-TB) and XDR (XDR-TB), the latter is difficult to quantify, health services had forgotten about this disease and lack facilities to diagnose, but what is known is that the cases increased sixfold between 2008 and 2009.

The treatment of the disease is long and expensive, usually lasts about six months with powerful antibiotics, many patients believe they are cured before the expiry of that time and abandon treatment thereby achieving appear bacilli resistant to antibiotics and healing unravel. This and poor hygiene in hospitals are the main causes of spread. Tuberculosis is highly contagious, transmitted through the air expelled by coughing patients.

WHO has prepared a plan for Europe that includes prevention, improved detection and ease of access to treatment, with a view to eliminating the continent Koch bacillus in 2050, which means that less than one case diagnosed by million.