European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 21, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Alarming increase of tuberculosis cases by Elisabeth Rosenthal new York times. B Orne on a tide of aids homelessness and drug and alcohol use tuberculosis is re emerging As a Public health threat in the United states particularly in inner cities. Although the number of tuberculosis cases decreased steadily in the 1960s and 70s, prompting Public health experts to predict the diseases near elimination by the year 2000, that downward trend abruptly stopped in the mid-�?T80s, now a worrisome Rise in cases has begun the number of new cases in the United states Rose 5 percent in 1989 from the previous year to 23,495, about 9,000 More cases than Federal health officials had projected Early in the decade. Even More alarming the number of new cases increased 10 percent in new York City to 2,545, and 35 percent in Newark n.j., to 207 in 1989, the last year for which Complete statistics Are available. A Quot we re seeing some really disturbing patterns Quot said or. Dixie Snider director of the division of tuberculosis control at the Federal centers for disease control. Quot we thought we had the problem licked so we let a number of tuberculosis programs lapse. We re obviously having to rethink  experts say the tuberculosis revival is primarily linked to the aids epidemic largely because people infected with the aids virus Are unusually susceptible to to. But also like anyone with Active tuberculosis these patients can spread the disease to others. Quot i suspect a Small number of the excess cases Are close contacts of people infected with the aids virus like family members Quot said or. Michael Iseman a tuberculosis expert at the National jewish Center for immunology and respiratory Medicine in Denver. The tuberculosis resurgence is by far the most serious in the inner cities where aids infection overlaps with other conditions associated with a High risk for tuberculosis homelessness malnutrition drug use alcoholism crowded living conditions and immigration from underdeveloped countries where tuberculosis rates Are High. Some of these conditions weaken the immune system others increase the risk of being exposed to the germ. Tuberculosis is a chronic wasting disease caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis which is spread through the air particularly in poorly ventilated spaces. While Many people carry the germ the disease can be spread Only by the Small portion of those who have Active tuberculosis characterized by vigorous coughing and Large pockets of the germ in the lung the disease can almost always be cured with medication. But untreated half of All the patients die within two years of the first symptoms. Before drug treatments were available to was a leading cause of death in the United states killing 88,000 people in 1930,. A healthy person who becomes infected with the tuberculosis germ has a Only a 10 percent Chance of developing Active tuberculosis Over a lifetime. A we thought we had the problem licked. We re having to rethink that. A or. Dixie Snider fed. Centers for disease control in contrast people who Are simultaneously infected with tuberculosis and the human immunodeficiency virus which causes aids develop Active to at a rate of nearly 10 percent a year Quot it s not easy to get but 1 think we have to be aware that no other his related infection can spread As easily to the general Public As tuberculosis not by sharing Needles but just breathing the same air a Iseman said. Quot i done to want anyone restricted from work butt testing and treatment new York times a though tuberculosis can affect almost any Organ by far the most common form involves the lungs. Its symptoms include a cough fevers drenching right sweats fatigue weight loss and blood tinged sputum. They can vary in severity. Some patients dismiss their symptoms As a smoker s cough while others have a serious pneumonia. Tuberculosis is considered preventable and curable. The mainstays of treatment Are isoniazid and if Amin the Only two drugs capable of killing the mycobacterium tuberculosis which causes the disease. Doctors have to maintain a High level of awareness and have to push Tor More screening and treatment if you cough to in an insurance office filled with robust people none of them May get it but if you do so in a nursing Home or a Nursery school that wont be the Case Quot Young children and the elderly Are most vulnerable to the disease because of slightly imperfect immune systems the centers for disease control in Atlanta strongly recommends that All his infected patients be screened for to and treated Tor the disease if tests suggest the germ is present. Experts emphasize that the new Public health concern about tuberculosis does not justify quarantines or work restrictions on people infected with the aids virus. In recent years the largest increases in tuberculosis cases have been among Black and hispanic Young adults the rate among non hispanic Whites in this age bracket actually went Down. A. But outbreaks have occurred in nursing Homos and. Schools As Well. Last year the number of cases among children Rose More than 15 percent from the previous year to 1,323.  the first six months of this year said Snider there were already nine tuberculosis outbreaks reported to the centers for disease control almost five limes the usual number. An outbreak is an unexpected Cluster of cases in a. Group or at a site As would occur in a family or at a shelter and the number of people infected can Range from a few to dozens. The most common Way o test for tuberculosis is by injecting protein from the to germ under the skin of the forearm the area swells if the person is infected someone who has been exposed to tuberculosis and shows signs of harbouring the tuberculosis bacterium based on a skin test May receive a 6 Man la course of isoniazid to prevent later development of the Active disease such latent to produces no symptoms and is not infectious. A the ire Ament of Active tuberculosis always involves taking relatively Complex combinations of at least isoniazid and if Amin for Al least six months and often longer. Patients with resistant tuberculosis and patients who Are infected with the aids virus must Olen take More medications for longer periods to cure the infection stars Cut i or o h co o o cd co la a to co a z it co cult a co and stripes bookstores stars and stripes bookstores the american heritage children s 0\/q to 4 i a co h it 3j co it z o o h the american heritage childrens dictionary is one of our Backoo school selections discounted -25% or More from cover Price. You la save s3,50 off the original Price of s 13.95 when purchasing this valuable Aid to your child s educational development. 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