Be Careful! - NEW TB STRAINS PIGGYBACKING ON AIDS VICTIMS - TB: New Strains Can Kill Quickly

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by James

Covering November 25, 1992 reporting, the text describes new tuberculosis strains that can rapidly kill people living with HIV/AIDS. It explains how TB spreads through coughing and sneezing, how older disease is returning with drug resistance, and why weakened immunity makes infection progress quickly. Experts emphasize the need for better screening, inexpensive medications, and strict measures such as directly observed therapy and potential quarantine for noncompliance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

NEW TB STRAINS PIGGYBACKING ON AIDS VICTIMS

INQUIRY STEPPED UP IN GEORGLA WOMEN'S PRISON SEX CASE

CORRECTIONS DIGEST

Vol.23 No.24 Be Careful! ## NEW TB STRAINS PIGGYBACKINGON AIDS VICTIMS New strains of tuberculosis attacking AIDSvictims can kill in a matter of weeks,and oneexpert in the field suggested that people refusingTB treatment can be quarantined. Tuberculosis is easily spread--often through asneeze or a cough--and until recently has beeneasily cured with antibiotics. Scientists attending the opening of the WorldCongress on Tuberculosis on Nov.16 in Bethesda,Md.,worried,though,about new strains whichresist traditional drug therapy and the swiftnesswith which the disease can kill people alreadyinfected with HIV,the virus that causes AIDS. "The return of this old scourge has createdconsiderable anxiety,particularly in those healthprofessionals who have not seen it before and in thegeneral public,"Dr.David Rogers told the hun-dreds of scientists."There is no question that wehave a large problem on our hands." Newark,N.J.,had 983 tuberculosis caseslast year,the second-highest total among the na-tion's cities behind Atlanta. As many as 15 million Americans are infect-ed with tuberculosis but in almost all the diseaselies dormant,held in check by the body's immunesystem. If the immune system is weakened,as it is ina person carrying the HIV virus,sickness candevelop either from a long-held tuberculosis infec-tion or from one recently acquired.Among such Page 1 November 25.1992 IN THIS ISSUE TB:New Strains Can Kil Quickly.… … …1GEORGLA:Dealing With Large Sex Abuse Case…1FY'94 FED BUDGET: More Justice Money Unlikely……… ………4OJP:Seeks Comments On Program Plans………………4JOB DISCRIMINATION: More Enforcement Planned……… … …5AIDS VIRUS:Survives In Crpse…………………5MARYLAND:No Money For HBV Vaccinations……5RACLAL DISPARITY:Articles Available……… …6ACLU:Sues Montana………………… ……6EXECUTIONS…… … … …… …7UTAH:Remarks Come Back To Reporter…… …8IMPRISONED MOTHERS:Problems Studied… ……9TEXAS:Prison Oversight Ending ……………10S.F.JAIL:Faces Stiff Fines……… …… …10 ## INQUIRY STEPPED UPIN GEORGLAWOMEN'S PRISON SEX CASE Authorities in Georgia said Nov.14 theyhave intensified an investigation into alleged sexualabuse at Georgia women's prisons after 14 currentand former state corrections employees were in-dicted on rape and sexual assault charges. A Baldwin County grand jury returned theindictments Nov.13 after prosecutors laid out theaccusations in graphic detail.The indictmentscame more than eight months after the GeorgiaBureau of Investigation(GBI)began probing allega-tions that officers had sexually abused inmates atthe Georgia Women's Correctional Institution inHardwick. (See GEORGIA,page three) ## CORRECTIONS DIGEST people,the disease can be fatal in a matter ofweeks. "Estmates of the chances of HIV-posi-tive individuals acquiring or reactivating tuber-culosis run from sixfold to 500-fold that ofHIV-negative persons,"said Rogers,a profes-sor of medicine at Cornell University and thevice chairman of the National Commission onAIDS. Rogers said better screening methods areneeded to detect tuberculosis,along with de-veloping inexpensive drugs to fight the morerecent strains. He also said society must move to protectitself from those who carry the disease but willnot cooperate in their treatment. "In situations where compliance is uncer-tain,directly observed therapy must be em-ployed and mechanisms must be in place tocontain or quarantine the occasional bad actorwho refuses treatment,"Rogers said. Before the development of antibiotics,quarantine was a common way of dealing withtuberculosis,often confining people in largesanitariums. Drug-Resistant Cases Increasing In the United States,the death rate fromtuberculosis last year was less than a tenth of what itwas in 1953,according to government statistics. Last year,some 26,283 cases of tuberculosiswere reported in the United States,capping severalyears of increase since the mid-1980s.For com-parison,there were 84,304 cases in th

FAQs

Why are experts concerned about the new TB strains in people with HIV/AIDS?

New tuberculosis strains can resist traditional drugs and progress quickly in individuals whose immune systems are weakened by HIV, leading to death within weeks.

How does tuberculosis spread according to the text?

Tuberculosis spreads easily, often through a sneeze or cough, because infected people transmit the germ through the air.

What actions does the expert recommend when patients may not cooperate with treatment?

When compliance is uncertain, the text says directly observed therapy should be used, along with mechanisms to contain or quarantine those who refuse treatment.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by James