Untreatable TB arrives in Britain

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Untreatable TB' arrives in Britain By Simon

Last Updated: 1:55am GMT 22/03/2008

Doctors have diagnosed what is believed to be the first ever case in

Britain of a virtually untreatable strain of tuberculosis.

A man, believed to be a Somali in his 30s, is in isolation at a

hospital in Scotland and being treated with a range of antibiotics to

control the disease.

But he has been diagnosed with the XDR-TB strain, which kills half of

those infected and is extremely resistant to drugs used to fight more

common forms of the infection.

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Domestic cases of tuberculosis, an airborne disease which is spread

though close contact with other people, are increasing but it is

thought this is the first time the most deadly type has been found in

this country.

It is understood the patient, thought to be an asylum seeker, was

screened for infectious diseases on his arrival into Britain last year.

X-rays revealed TB scarring on his lungs, but the disease was not

thought to be active so he was allowed to travel to Scotland.

He was admitted to Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow with the

disease in January and tests have now revealed he is suffering from

the XDR-TB strain.

Health officials are now trying to contact his close friends and

family to prevent any further outbreaks.

A spokesman for Gartnavel General Hospital said last night: " We can

confirm a case of drug-resistant tuberculosis is being treated at the

hospital.

" We are in touch with all close contacts of the patient, and where

appropriate they will be screened.

" The strain is not any more infectious than normal TB. The main

concern is that it is resistant to antibiotics, which makes it much

harder to treat. "

The first case of XDR-TB was reported in March 2006, after researchers

discovered an emerging global threat of highly resistant TB strains.

Six months later 53 " virtually untreatable " XDR-TB cases were found in

an area of South Africa with a high prevalence of HIV.

Samples were taken for drug resistance tests but all but one of the

patients died an average of 25 days later.

TB drug resistance has been increasing across the world, including

Britain, and the World Health Organisation warns more needs to be done

to combat the disease.

Professor , secretary of TB Alert in the UK, said: " We are

aware that it is quite prevalent in other parts of the world. Because

our country is no longer separated from disease by the channel, we

have got to be aware of it. "

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