Here are four notes:
1. Tuberculosis strains are making their way through South Africa, and are alarming health officials as it can spread from bacteria in infected people’s’ lungs when they cough, sneeze or speak.
2. STAT reports the study does not indicate the strains are spreading rapidly, but it does suggest the strains are spreading from person to person more often than previous research shows.
3. Researchers analyzed 400 people in the study and found the majority became infected after contracting the bacteria from another infected individual. Researchers noted, “This case is showing this can spread quite nicely between people, and that’s even more terrifying in a way. Because you could just be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
4. In 2015, the WHO estimated tuberculosis sickened 10.4 million people and killed 1.8 million.
More articles on quality & infection control:
Dr. Thomas Frieden talks opioids, antibiotic resistance & more with MedPage Today during final days at CDC
Orphan drugs’ annual average price tag cost $88.4k more than mainstream drugs in 2014: 4 key statistics
North America leads global infection control market with 39.5% market share: 5 takeaways
