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Tuberculosis is responsible for the deaths of 1.6 million people each year worldwide, more than any other infectious disease. But tuberculosis (TB) can be cured with antibiotics and with enough effort, the disease could be contained so that it stops infecting communities. According to a new study at the University of Hawaii, TB could be eradicated in less than three decades through effective treatment and prevention. The catch: it would require a cumulative investment of $ 2 billion a year to fund the effort.
Tuberculosis is very dangerous. It is also curable
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis that attack the lungs. The bacteria spread in the air from one person to the other, making the disease extremely contagious. It is also fatal if it is not treated. Antibiotics should be taken for a relatively long time, usually about 6 months.
The bacterium responsible for tuberculosis develops mainly in the lungs and can cause symptoms such as:
- A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or more
- Chest pain
- Spit blood or sputum (mucus from the deepest lungs)
Other symptoms of TB may include:
- Weakness or fatigue
- Weightloss;
- No appetite;
- Chills;
- Fever;
- Sweating at night
Victoria Fan, an badistant professor of public health at the University of Hawaii in Mnoza and one of the world's leading TB specialists, says the infectious disease could be eradicated with enough surveillance.
She and her colleagues published a new study in the journal Lancet Global Health go beyond the steps that world leaders must take to achieve this goal.
"If we allocate global resources to cure people and spread TB, we will save millions of lives and huge sums of money in the long run," said Fan.
The best value for money is in early diagnosis. The more people with TB are properly diagnosed, the better their chances of being saved while limiting exposure to people who are not yet infected. Currently, about 35% of TB cases worldwide are undiagnosed and untreated.
In the beginning, the costs of diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis would increase considerably, but they should drop dramatically once the infected infection areas are under control.
And while the financial effort to eradicate TB is huge, it is worth it. Even from an economic point of view, each life saved represents another member contributing to their respective economies. Researchers estimate that for every dollar spent on tuberculosis research and development in the United States, the economy earns between $ 16 and $ 82.
"The goal of this Lancet Commission was to create a roadmap for a TB-free world," Fan said. "The commission has found that different countries will need different solutions. For example, in some countries, many people have tuberculosis that is resistant to certain antibiotics. They therefore need different plans than those offered in places where drug resistance is less common. "
"Getting rid of the world of TB is a realistic goal," Fan said. "Our report gives health officials around the world concrete recommendations on what they can do to end this epidemic."
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