Germans underestimate tuberculosis risk

Germans underestimate tuberculosis risk

07/13/2013

In Germany, tuberculosis (TB) is a bigger problem than many doctors and patients generally believe. For the dangerous infectious disease is therefore required by experts more attention.

More attention required
Although many doctors and patients may not believe it, tuberculosis is also a major risk in Germany. The President of the German Central Committee for the Tuberculosis Control, Tobias Welte, said: „There must be more attention in the health care system for tuberculosis. "Usually, it also occurs as consumption or „the moths“ known disease as infection of the lung, wherein persistent cough, chronic fatigue, weight loss, fever with nocturnal sweat attacks and a sting in the chest can be signs of tuberculosis. Anyone who detects such symptoms should urgently consult a doctor, as untreated tuberculosis in about 50 percent of cases leads to the death of those affected.

Tuberculosis is the world's deadliest infectious disease
To date, tuberculosis is relatively widespread, especially in Asia, Africa and the Eastern European countries. Every year, around nine million people contract tuberculosis and 1.7 million people die each year as a result of the infection. In Germany, the problem is relatively low, but according to the Robert Koch Institute rise in children in this country, the infection numbers. In 2011, around 4,300 people fell ill with tuberculosis and 162 died. In a worldwide comparison, Germany is doing relatively well with an average of 5.3 reported cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Problems with the therapy
According to Welte, there is also a dark figure in Germany. He told dpa news agency: „It is tied to social status“ and „The more depleted, the more malnourished someone is, the higher is their risk. "To date, tuberculosis is usually treated with antibiotics, usually using a combination of different preparations over a period of about six months However, tuberculosis therapy with standard medicines is proving increasingly difficult today, and therefore the news that two new tuberculosis therapeutics are about to be approved in Europe is very positive For 50 years the first newly developed drugs for the treatment of TBC. (ad)

Also read:
Tuberculosis: the most dangerous infectious disease
Study: Tuberculosis increases lung cancer risk

Picture: Aka