Micronesia - Governor confirms four dead from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

[AlaskaDenise]

The governor's office confirmed minutes ago that four people in Chuuk have died of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. This story is developing. Check back for updates.

According to the Center for Disease Control Web site, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis a variation of tuberculosis that has evolved to withstand the two most effect medicines use to treat the disease ? isoniazid and rifampicin.

Tuberculosis is spread through the air and damages the lungs. It can result in death if not treated.

The disease becomes resistant to treatment when patients do not finish their medication prescription and the disease survives and adapts.

http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS01/80731043/1002/rss

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Micronesia - Governor confirms four dead from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

Outbreak of drug resistant TB in Chuuk puts Guam officials on alert

by Mindy Aguon, KUAM News
Thursday, July 31, 2008


Public Health officials on island are trying to prevent a drug resistant form of Tuberculosis from spreading to Guam. A late afternoon press conference was held at Adelup today, where Lt. Governor Mike Cruz and Public Health officials explained that there is an outbreak of the Tuberculosis strain in Chuuk. It was announced today that there were 5 confirmed cases in Chuuk and of those 4 of the 5 individuals have died from the disease. Officials are trying to prevent the disease from coming to Guam.

Public Health officials say the Multi-Drug Resistant TB is relatively rare and is resistant to many drugs that normally treat the disease.

MDR TB is spread the same way as regular TB, through the air when a person with TB sneezes, coughs, speaks or sings. The germs can float in the air for several hours leaving those who breathe the air susceptible to becoming infected. The general symptoms of TB disease include feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs may also include coughing, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected.

We will have more on this breaking story tonight on Primetime.

http://www.kuam.com/news/29256.aspx

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Micronesia - Governor confirms four dead from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

Chuuk Islands are in the Caroline Islands in Micronesia. Population is about 53,000.

Tourism, especially scuba diving among the many wrecks of Truk Lagoon, is the island's main industry. Copra, dried coconut meat, is the only cash crop but output is relatively insignificant. Most of the inhabited outlying islands engage in subsistence activity only.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuuk

.

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Micronesia - Governor confirms four dead from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

Public Health warns of Multi-Drug Resistant TB

Public Health officials on island are trying to prevent a multi-drug resistant form of Tuberculosis from spreading to Guam. A late afternoon press conference was held by Lt. Governor Mike Cruz and Public Health where officials explained that an outbreak has been confirmed in Chuuk.

5 individuals on our neighbor island were diagnosed with Multi-Drug Resistant TB and 4 of those individuals have died from the very rare strain of the disease. Officials said similar outbreaks have occurred in places like the Philippines and China in the past. They added that currently there are no travel restrictions between Chuuk and Guam, but the federal government may decide to implement restrictions if the outbreak worsens.

Multi drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is often difficult to treat as the disease is resistant to almost all drugs used to treat TB. The general symptoms of TB disease include: feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs may also include: coughing, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected. If you have these symptoms, you should contact your doctor or public health

http://www.kuam.com/news/29267.aspx

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Micronesia - Governor confirms four dead from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

Officials warn of deadly TB: Four have died in Chuuk from drug-resistant strain


Four of five people afflicted with a multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the Federated State of Micronesia's Chuuk state have died over the last several months, Guam public health authorities confirmed yesterday.

Though Guam doesn't currently have a single confirmed case of the multidrug-resistant TB, Guam public health officials, joined by Lt. Gov Mike Cruz, held a press conference yesterday afternoon to raise awareness about the outbreak.

While the Guam officials pointed out that multidrug-resistant TB is a global problem, and not isolated to Chuuk, they acknowledged the number of deaths in Chuuk in such a short time are a matter of concern for Guam.
"It is a regional concern," said J. Peter Roberto, acting Public Health director.

Public Health received confirmation of the deaths hours before the press conference.

The results of tests performed in Honolulu are pending for 10 to 12 other suspected cases of multidrug-resistant TB in Chuuk, but their outcome won't be known for weeks.

The FSM consulate on Guam, when called for comment yesterday, stated it didn't have any information available.

One of the patients who died was a 2-year-old and another was 16, Guam public health officials said.

Cecilia T. Arciaga, a Guam Public Health coordinator with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, said multidrug-resistant TB is treatable if diagnosed early and treated properly.

Guam last had a case of multidrug-resistant TB in 2001 that resulted in the successful treatment of the patient, Arciaga said.

Dr. Robert Haddock, Guam Public Health epidemiologist, said the number of cases in Chuuk can be considered an outbreak because even one case of such a serious disease can qualify as an outbreak.

There's no ban on travel from Chuuk to Guam, but a system is in place to alert Guam authorities if someone on a flight from Chuuk shows symptoms, such as constant coughing, Roberto said.

Officials said other symptoms to watch out for include sweating at night, loss of appetite, loss of weight, coughing of blood or a combination of some or all of those symptoms.

Anyone with any of the symptoms should see his or her primary doctor, who will decide whether a test is needed to check for multidrug-resistant TB, the officials said.

But Public Health officials also acknowledged that, in certain cases, TB shows no symptoms for a long time.

Dr. Annakutty Mathew, Guam Public Health's medical director, said patients in Chuuk who have multidrug-resistant TB are being monitored closely to keep them from traveling.

Haddock said, in controlling the spread of TB, tests also will include people close to a patient, such as family members.

.