Health officials test students and teachers after a student tests postitive for an active form of TB.

Health officials test students and teachers after a student tests postitive for an active form of TB. less

U.S. health officials have quarantined an airline passenger who may have exposed others to a potentially dangerous form of tuberculosis. The unusual decision... more

U.S. health officials have quarantined an airline passenger who may have exposed others to a potentially dangerous form of tuberculosis. The unusual decision was made after the passenger took flights from the U.S. to Europe, then to Montreal, Canada before reentering the United States. The man has what's called 'Extremely Drug Resistant' tuberculosis. Passengers and crew from both flights have been urged to be tested for the infection. XDR-tb is an especially virulent form of the disease that is resistant to standard drug treatment. The World Health Organization says about nine million people around the world have TB and 1.6 million die from it every year. The greatest burden is in South and East Asia, followed closely by Africa and the Western Pacific regions, all adding up to 85 percent of the world total. But TB persists and mutates into drug-resistant strains harder to cure because many patients fail to finish taking their medicine. For years, the World Health Organization has promoted directly observed therapy by local health care workers who go to patients' homes to make sure they take their pills. But in poor countries with weak health systems, health workers to do this are in short supply. As a result, bacterial resistance to at least two common TB drugs is spreading, requiring newer, more expensive, and more toxic compounds to do the job. "One of the biggest challenges is we know it's out there, but we don't know how much of it is out there," says Joann Carter. She is with the non-governmental group RESULTS, which helps fund medical projects in developing countries. She notes that an even more dangerous TB strain has developed recently. The bacterium has mutated further into a form resistant to most of the older and newer drugs. This so-called extremely drug resistant strain, or XDR tuberculosis, was first noticed in South Africa, fueled by the HIV epidemic that weakens patients' ability to fight such diseases. less

This report focuses on the new threat from drug-resistant tuberculosis.

This report focuses on the new threat from drug-resistant tuberculosis. less

La vida de Robert Koch y el descubrimiento de la tuberculosis. History Channel.

La vida de Robert Koch y el descubrimiento de la tuberculosis. History Channel. less

About bTB (Bovine Tuberculosis) And Why It's St... (more) Added: 19 January 2008 About bTB (Bovine Tuberculosis) And Why It's Still Here with The fray - How To Save A Life

About bTB (Bovine Tuberculosis) And Why It's St... (more) Added: 19 January 2008 About bTB (Bovine Tuberculosis) And Why It's Still Here with The fray - How To Save A Life less

Chicago turns it's alleys green, Batman gets denied a swim, and Ctrl+Alt+Autos, including the Vectrix & Piaggio scooters. most popular tags zaproot... more

Chicago turns it's alleys green, Batman gets denied a swim, and Ctrl+Alt+Autos, including the Vectrix & Piaggio scooters. most popular tags zaproot viropop green series environment video podcast webisode eco pop culture next new networks free autobloggreen videos new stories cool cars online tv news clips earth day web auto interior design ideas going green sustainability ideas earth grist report water pollution channel solar wind alternative treehugger power geothermal energy oil fossil fuels local health greenpeace plants bike bicycle ocean weird greenhouse effect ecogeek global warming climate change worldchanging urban products fair trade coffee inhabitat water cycle shortage twisted humor cfl wacky an inconvenient truth conscious reuse environmental activism organic freecycle less

Dr. Madeline Cosman speaks about illegal immigration fueling the increase of infectious diseases that for the most part had been eradicated from the United States.

Dr. Madeline Cosman speaks about illegal immigration fueling the increase of infectious diseases that for the most part had been eradicated from the United States. less

Reportaje que describe a una enfermedad asociada tambien con el VIH

Reportaje que describe a una enfermedad asociada tambien con el VIH less

It's a deadly disease that is hitting epidemic proportions.The World Health Organization says at least eight million new active cases of tuberculosis surface... more

It's a deadly disease that is hitting epidemic proportions.The World Health Organization says at least eight million new active cases of tuberculosis surface each year. One-third of the world's population is infected with TB and every second, another person is newly infected. The current TB vaccine is not effective in fighting TB in the lungs, but now, a VUMC research team has developed a new "very promising" approach to defeat the disease. Barb Cramer has the story. less

A music video for biology class that warns of the dangers of Tuberculosis

A music video for biology class that warns of the dangers of Tuberculosis less