The worldwide Fourth Report on Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
The 26th of February, 2009
At the end of 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) together with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (UNION), launched regarding the worldwide impact of the Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
This document elaboration is based on epidemiological data and studies produced in 81 countries and 2 administrative regions with special regime (SAR) from China (Hong Kong and Macao), and issued between 2002 and 2007.
Also, the report makes detailed referrals to the epidemiological trends in 47 states, issued during a period that exceeds 13 years.
Until 2000, there were a few countries monitoring through National Tuberculosis Surveillance and Control Programs (NTSCP) the MDR-TB cases, in many cases these information were unavailable.
Starting from the results obtained in implementing the DOTS-Plus program, lat the beginning of 2000 it was launched the Stop-TB Strategy, a programmatic document of an outstanding value, shortly followed by defining the Stop TB Plan for 2006-2015, which stipulated a planning for both activities and necessary funds for implementing the strategy.
Currently, benefiting of the financial support of Global Funds and Green Light Committee, most of the countries initiated monitoring and control measures for MDR-TB cases. Important steps had been taken in order to improve the laboratories prescriptions of microbiologic diagnosis and also to extend the coverage area for estimating the incidence of MDR-TB cases.
Worldwide, the statistics data collected from 114 states and 2 SAR from China estimate a 5,3% average of MDR-TB incidence. Among the most affected countries, there are also some of the former Soviet Union countries that currently face a terrible situation: almost half of the TB cases are resistant to at least one medicine, while every fifth case is multidrug-resistant.
After the former Soviet Union countries, a very increased incidence of the resistant TB cases is to be found in China. Therefore, China and India it is estimated to register 50% of the worldwide active TB cases, the Russian Federation counts an extra 7%.
In absolute figures, China registers the highest number of TB worldwide. The high incidence of MDR-TB cases in China suggests the transmission of some stems, already resistant to treatment. It is estimated that 1 out of 10 worldwide-confirmed MDR-TB cases in 2006 appeared to the patients in China with no anti-TB infection/treatment record. The careful monitorization of the MDR-TB evolution trends must remain a priority. In India, the year 2006 meant the diagnosis of 110.132 MDR-TB cases, representing over 20% of the total number.
You can study the most recent report as such (the fourth), elaborated by WHO in collaboration with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (UNION) at: http://www.who.int/tb/publications/mdr_surveillance/en/index.html
