New testing technologies can help fight TB, but new treatments needed

Published on March 22, 2013 at 9:35 AM · No Comments

"[F]or many low-income populations, [tuberculosis (TB)] is nothing less than a modern-day public health emergency," and "[t]o make things worse, many of these patients [a]re living with HIV," U.N. Under-Secretary General and UNITAID Chair Philippe Douste-Blazy writes in a Huffington Post "Impact" blog opinion piece. "There is hope though, and a new piece of technology could in fact play a role in turning the tide on TB," he states, referencing the GeneXpert rapid TB testing method. He notes, "UNITAID is introducing a GeneXpert machine into each of the 12 provinces of Mozambique and purchasing the cartridges needed for each test," and continues, "GeneXpert is especially important for combating the growing surge of deadly multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), which is non-responsive to the drugs commonly used to treat TB," because test results are available in two hours instead of months. However, treatment for MDR-TB is complicated and "[s]ide effects include psychosis and deafness," he adds.

Read in | English | Español | Français | Deutsch | Português | Italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | Nederlands | Русский | Svenska | Polski
Comments
The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News-Medical.Net.
Post a new comment
(optional)
Post