Published Date: 2007-04-25 17:00:02
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa (08): Western Cape
Archive Number: 20070425.1349

TUBERCULOSIS, XDR - SOUTH AFRICA (08): WESTERN CAPE
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Tue 24 Apr 2007
Source: Independent Online [edited]
<http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=vn20070424013135854C804288>

The number of patients needing treatment for extreme drug resistant
tuberculosis (XDR TB) in the Western Cape has risen from 21 to 22 as
of Mon 23 Apr 2007, on top of 3 deaths in the past month.
An 18th patient was admitted to the XDR TB isolation unit at Brooklyn
Chest TB Hospital in Milnerton on Mon 23 Apr 2007, the only unit of
its kind in the Western Cape, provincial health department
spokesperson Miranda Anthony said. Six men and 12 women are being
treated at the hospital. The youngest patient is an 11-month-old
girl, while the rest are between the ages of 18 and 58. The latest
patient is an adult female.
Four other patients are being treated for XDR TB in special isolation
hospital wards at 3 prisons in the province, Anthony said. Two are
being treated at Brandvlei prison in Worcester, one at Voorberg
prison in Porterville, and a 4th at Pollsmoor prison in Tokai.
Three women, aged 23, 26 and 43, have died in the past month at
Brooklyn Chest TB Hospital after brief illnesses.
Anthony declined to say where the patients came from, explaining that
the health department did not want people to get the impression that
XDR TB was more prevalent in one community than another. "We want to
emphasize that it can happen to anyone, anywhere. It doesn't matter
where you live," she said.
Anthony said all cases of XDR TB in the province were referred to
Brooklyn Chest, which has 24 beds in a unit designed for the
exclusive treatment of drug-resistant TB.
By the end of February 2007, the health department announced that it
was aware of only 2 cases of XDR TB, including the 11-month-old baby,
who is responding to treatment. In February 2007, the department of
health also said that 269 cases were reported in South Africa since
2005. The 1st 60 cases were reported in KwaZulu-Natal. In total, 184
people died. The latest statistics are not yet available.
[Byline: Karen Breytenbach]
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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The number of cases of XDR TB continues to grow, especially in South
Africa. It is not stated in the posting how many of the total and of
those who died were infected with HIV as well.
The Western Cape Province of South Africa can be found on a map of
the country at:
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/southafr.pdf>.
Most of the country's provinces have had cases of XDR TB. - Mod.LL]

See Also

Tuberculosis, XDR, 2003-2006 - Europe (Germany, Italy) 20070403.1132
Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa (07): Eastern Cape 20070326.1044
Tuberculosis, XDR, 1993-2006 - USA 20070322.1005
Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa (06) 20070319.0959
Tuberculosis, XDR, 1991-2003 - Spain 20070302.0738
Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa (05) 20070228.0717
Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa (04) 20070220.0638
Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa (03) 20070209.0504
Tuberculosis, XDR - worldwide 20070205.0456
Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa (02) 20070128.0375
Tuberculosis, XDR - South Africa: interventions 20070126.0349
Tuberculosis, extensively drug-resistant - Canada (ON) (02) 20070125.0340
Tuberculosis, extensively drug-resistant - Canada (ON) 20070124.0318
2006
----
Tuberculosis, multiresistant - Hungary 20061110.3233
Tuberculosis, multiresistant - South Africa (KN) (04): nationwide 20061019.3003
Tuberculosis, multi-drug resistant - South Africa (KN) 20060904.2514
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