Super TB 'now endemic' in KZN

Johannesburg, South Africa
11 September 2006 11:42
Extreme drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become endemic in KwaZulu-Natal, the Mercury reported on Monday.

Dr Tony Moll, principal medical officer at the Church of Scotland hospital in Tugela Ferry, said doctors in his area had been identifying new XDR-TB patients every month since January last year.

"Since March we have identified 10 new patients. The situation seems to be simmering, it's a bad sign," he said.

"What's more worrying is that this has spread across the province and has become endemic to the province."

The outbreak in Tugela Ferry had killed 60 people since January 2005, including eight admitted to hospital with XDR-TB between March and August this year.

XDR-TB is a virulent form of TB which is resistant to the two drugs used to treat multi-drug resistant TB, and to which people with HIV/Aids are particularly susceptible.

Moll said 44 people out of the 53 who had died between January 2005 and March had been HIV-positive.

"It [the 60 people killed thus far] is a very big number, even one is a big number," he said.

"Between 2002 and 2004, 347 patients throughout the world were identified with XDR-TB, and for us in a small rural area to have 60 die is very significant." - Sapa

Source

Fresh Fruits, Veggies Can Trigger Allergy

SUNDAY, Sept. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Does your mouth get itchy after you eat fresh fruits or vegetables at this time of year? You may have oral allergy syndrome, say experts at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

OAS, also called pollen-food syndrome, is caused by allergens such as ragweed, which begins to bloom in mid-August.

"The pollen released from ragweed is the airborne allergen most responsible for the onslaught of allergy symptoms at this time of year. In addition to sneezing and itchy, water eyes, and symptoms of OAS, ragweed allergies can take a heavy toll on the allergy sufferer's quality of life," Dr. Suzanne S. Teuber, chair of the AAAAI's Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee, said in a prepared statement.

OAS symptoms are the result of a "cross-reactivity reaction" between allergy antibodies directed toward target pollen proteins with similar proteins found in other parts of plants. Common symptoms of OAS included an itchy mouth and throat with mild swelling immediately after eating fresh fruits or vegetables.

People with ragweed allergies can experience OAS symptoms when they consume bananas, cucumbers, melon, zucchini, sunflower seeds, chamomile tea or echinacea.

OAS can also occur in people with birch tree allergy symptoms when they eat peaches, apples, pears, cherries, carrots, hazelnuts, kiwis, and almonds, the AAAAI said.

Generally, cooking foods will eliminate an OAS reaction, according to the AAAAI.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about allergies.

Two and a Half Pounds This Week

Went to TOPS last night and I lost 2.5 pounds this week. I put it down, partly, to my hour plus long house cleaning session to Dirty Dancing. :) Continuing to pare down the girth . . a total of six inches off my waist since July.