Extensively Drug Resistant ( XDR) TB

[LilAnn]

A woman has just been diagnosed with the first XDR Tuberculosis in the country. She is currently undergoing treatment just outside of DC. Unfortunately, she had visited 3 states, at least, between catching it and going to the doctor . It isn't easy to pick up from other people. But they are trying to get everybody who had any kind of contact with her to get tested because of how dangerous it is.
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health...nt-nih-n371806

[missbishi]

What an unfortunate story. Chances are, she contracted it in her home country shortly before travelling to the US.

Hopefully, nobody who has come into contact with her has picked up the disease. I must admit, I'd never even heard of this new strain of TB until reading this.

[DancingLady]

I thought TB was pretty easy to catch if you are in close proximity to someone when they cough or sneeze. Unfortunately with any strain of TB, a person is not likely to know they need to go to the doctor right away because the early symptoms look like ordinary respiratory illnesses. I hope they find a successful treatment, tb is a horrible way to die.

[ASurvivor]

It reminds of that scene in Contagion (2011) when the head of the CDC is asked if they are dealing with a weaponized from of bird flu responded with: "Someone doesn't have to weaponize the bird flu.The birds are doing that."

Staying one step ahead of the bugs is no easy task. It is good to hear they have the patient in the NHI. Here's hoping there aren't any more.

[LilAnn]

It always reminds me of Doc Holiday. And, of course Moulin Rogue. THAT is the extent of my knowledge. Well, that and the sanitariums. Back in the early to mid 1900s it got bad enough that they were thrown in a hospital specifically for TB. And there was no shortage of patients. In my home state, Kentucky, is a really famous one. It's supposed to haunted be ause of all the death and misery that happened there. But anyway, they had a tunnel underground to roll the dead bodies outside without anyone seeing how many there were.

So, knowing the little bit I do about it terrifies me. I am guessing this one is harder to catch?? Otherwise, I would expect to see a little more effort put towards finding all the people she coughed on.

[Tumbleweed]

Since she came here from India, and probably could have infected passengers during the flight, plus she spent time at O'Hare airport, one of the largest ones we have; there is certainly a good chance that the TB bacteria could have been spread to many areas by now.
Until other people get sick, no one will have much of an idea where those other cases are, and by then, they could have already infected other people as well.

http://youtu.be/y5UsW2W0waA

[LilAnn]

Once I got old enough to understand the reality around these horrible diseases, I was very relieved that we had them under control. But now, we have TB that seems to be trying to make a come back, along with small pox and the measles. I can only imagine what else we can expect.

[bala]

Reading more on this,it was already scary because to my understanding,this type of TB is more contagious but if you get this, 70 percent of the time it is fatal.
Doctors treating that patient who had been infected also stated that her vocal chords were infected with TB and she possibly could have aerosolized lots of TB bacteria,possibly infecting many others.

[MikeOh]

A woman has just been diagnosed with the first XDR Tuberculosis in the country. She is currently undergoing treatment just outside of DC. Unfortunately, she had visited 3 states, at least, between catching it and going to the doctor . It isn't easy to pick up from other people. But they are trying to get everybody who had any kind of contact with her to get tested because of how dangerous it is.
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health...nt-nih-n371806

This is really scary in your country since TB cases aren't that many. With us here in the Philippines, there are alot of drug resistant Tuberculosis patients. TB is treatable as long as one follow the protocol. But it's a scary thought walking around the streets knowing that I may have just bumped into someone who has it.

[Yosh]

This is really scary in your country since TB cases aren't that many. With us here in the Philippines, there are alot of drug resistant Tuberculosis patients. TB is treatable as long as one follow the protocol. But it's a scary thought walking around the streets knowing that I may have just bumped into someone who has it.

I don't think there are any cases in the Netherlands at the moment, but its a scary thought. Its silly how it was allowed for so many people to get such a resistant strain. Are drugs not well regulated or do people just not finish the course they were prescribed over there?

[LilAnn]

In Anerica there are so many people who can't afford a $30,000 doctors bill. If you go see the doctor and find out its just a cold, you're going to owe so much money for that one visit that selling your soul won't pull in enough money. Even with Obamacare there are a lot of people who can't afford the insurance.

[gracer]

MikeOh is right. Though Respiratory Tuberculosis has been eradicated in developed countries, it still exists in third world countries such as ours. Having been exposed to TB myself as a former health care worker, I will have a positive tuberculin test if I'd get tested but it doesn't mean I have TB. Exposure to the disease doesn't mean you'll immediately contract it. You are prone to contracting the disease if you come in contact with the mucous secretions of the infected individual. This is why a person who has beed diagnosed with the disease should be responsible enough to cover his/her mouth when he/she sneezes or coughs.

[LilAnn]

MikeOh is right. Though Respiratory Tuberculosis has been eradicated in developed countries, it still exists in third world countries such as ours. Having been exposed to TB myself as a former health care worker, I will have a positive tuberculin test if I'd get tested but it doesn't mean I have TB. Exposure to the disease doesn't mean you'll immediately contract it. You are prone to contracting the disease if you come in contact with the mucous secretions of the infected individual. This is why a person who has beed diagnosed with the disease should be responsible enough to cover his/her mouth when he/she sneezes or coughs.

I actually do feel better about it. Thank you for the info. I was a little freaked out when Ebola made it over here. I remember hearing about it so many years ago! It was one of the scariest story's ever. But I didnt dwell on it. I wasn't as worried about it as some other people. It was such a rare occurance, I still felt confident it wasn't gonna get me. TB scares me SO much more. I didnt realize it wasnt a lot easier to catch. The horror stories about the sanitariums and the volume of deaths worries me more than a nuclear bomb. It's such a slow, drawn out death. With a nuke it finishes as soon as it starts

[petesede]

Yeah, just to clarify what Gracer said... and this applies to a lot of dangerous and possible epidemic causing bacteria and viruses.... for normal healthy people, a lot of us can be ´exposed to it and our bodies simply kill it off. If this lady was on a plane and maybe she coughed on 30 people and exposed them, it is more than likely all or most of them simply had their immune system kick in and kill it before they even got the slightest symptom. It is usually small children, the elderly, people sick with another major illness or people with compromised immune systems that would carry it forward.

Just another reason to exercise, eat healthy and reduce your stress levels... all of which boost your immune system.

[Sandramc]

This is quite unfortunate. Generally, tuberculosis is a very difficult disease to treat. It is mainly caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis and most Mycobacterium species are usually extremely difficult to treat. The disease leprosy, which still exists, is caused by a Mycobacterium species as well and also requires lengthy, rigorous treatment. For most TB patients, treatment can range from months to even over a year. Tuberculosis is a greater threat to individuals that have a compromised or weak immune system. It is important for persons diagnosed with TB to be quarantined and to be given excellent care. I do hope that others have not contracted this new strain and hope that the treatment goes well.