In Europe tuberculosis is causing deaths of nearly 38.000 people each year. 85 percent oft the new cases occur in 18 high-risk countries such as Ukraine, Bulgaria or Moldova. The fight against Mycobacterium tuberculosis is difficult because oft he rising number of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), says Vera Katalinic-Jankovic from the Croatian National Institute of Public Health.
(short summary in german: Tuberkulose verursacht in Europa fast 38.000 Tote pro Jahr. 85 Prozent der neuen Fälle treten in 18 Hochrisiko-Ländern wie der Ukraine, Bulgarien und Moldawien auf. Der Kampf gegen Mycobacterium tuberculosis ist schwierig, da die Anzahl an Fällen von multiresistenter Tuberkulose (MDR-TB) steigt, sagt Vera Katalinic-Jankovic vom kroatischen National Institute of Public Health.)
According to a recently published report (March, 17th) by the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) each day 1.000 people become sick with tuberculosis in the European Region. Especially MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant TB) is a big problem. It makes the European Region the most affected area oft the entire world.
As a matter of fact MDR-TB is a great problem, says Vera Katalinic-Jankovic from the Croatian National Institute of Public Health, who recently held a lecture about this item on the Semmelweis CEE Conference on Hospital Hygiene and Patient Safety: “With MDR-TB the disease became an old lady in a new outfit. We have to highlight the importance of infection control measures to prevent the spreading of this pathogen.”
The development of MDR-TB in some parts of Eastern Europe and the Russian Federation is up to ten times more often than in other parts of the world. This is also one of the results of the recent WHO-study. Among these high-risk countries are Ukraine, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Estonia and Turkey.
At the current pace of an annual six per cent decline, the Europe will only be free of tuberculosis in the next century, said ECDC director Marc Sprenger at the study-presentation.
By the way: The World TB Day 2015 is on March, 24th. See more information under:
http://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/events/events/2015/03/world-tb-day-2015-accelerating-the-pace-to-improve-efficiency-towards-tb-elimination
