Tag Archives: tuberculosis

News

TB OUTBREAK IN LOS ANGELES


View Skid Row in a larger map

Reports of an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in the downtown area of Los Angeles has even the police taking precautions. Over the weekend, LAPD officers in the skid row area were advised via email and roll calls to use masks to protect themselves from risk of being infected by the disease if a situation seems to warrant the preccaution.

Mabel Aragon, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Health Department (LACHD), gave a statement Friday that the federal agency, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is helping in the process of surveillance and statistic gathering as the LACHD is in the process of confirming the number and type of TB cases in LA County.

Scott Bryan, spokesman for the CDC, confirmed they have been asked by both state and local TB officials to assist with the investigation. They are planning on sending in a team in about 2 weeks to further help with containment of the disease.

According to the Los Angeles Times, there have been almost 80 cases of a unique strain of TB identified including 11 deaths. Of those, 60 of the cases were from homeless individuals from the skid row area of Los Angeles. The strain which is unique to Los Angeles can be treated with anti-TB medications for 6 – 9 months.

Read More
Downtown L.A. TB outbreak: LAPD urges officers to wear masks

News, Spirituality & Health

Totally Drug Resistant TB has emerged in India

2 Comments

For most TB, Tuberculosis, is a disease of their grandparents generation. For them it was the feared lung disease, also known as consumption, which has cost millions of lives down the ages.

With the discovery of antibiotics, TB became a disease of the past.

However, in India a Totally Drug-Resistant form of Tuberculosis  (TDR-TB) has emerged, with a mortality rate of 50%. Could TB again become a disease feared in the West? The wrathful deities of Hinduism and Buddhism (the Dalai Lama’s base is in the north of the country) rule the spirit in India – these seek to bring death. Only the Spirit of God, being given pre-eminence in a region produces health and life.

Read more in: Nature