Durbin, Boxer, Brown, Smith Brownback Urge Feds to Immediately Respond to New Lethal Strain of Tuberculosis

DURBIN, BOXER, BROWN, SMITH, BROWNBACK URGE FEDS TO IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO NEW LETHAL STRAIN OF TUBERCULOSIS

Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Gordon Smith (R-OR), and Sam Brownback (R-KS) called on the U.S. Department of State and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond proactively to a new and particularly dangerous strain of tuberculosis for which there is no effective treatment.

The letter cites an outbreak of extensively-drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) in a South African hospital this August that killed fifty-two of the fifty-three patients within twenty-five days; all of the patients had HIV/AIDS. Last year, the CDC TB surveillance report found an increase in confirmed XDR-TB cases within the U.S.

"For decades, we have relied on effective tuberculosis treatments that have helped prolong the lives and protect the health of those with HIV/AIDS, but we are encountering increasingly resistant strains," said Durbin. "Today, we are calling on the Administration and the CDC to address a new extremely drug resistant strain of TB that poses a threat both at home and abroad. This is not something that we can afford to drag our feet on; we must act quickly so we can prevent future outbreaks."

"This new strain of extensive drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) poses a great threat to public health, both at home and abroad. XDR-TB has been found in every region of the world, which is why it is so important that the CDC and State Department immediately take steps to develop a plan to address this growing crisis," said Senator Boxer.

"Over the past few years, the international community has made significant progress in the fight against AIDS and TB. This new threat is a serious issue for the global health community," Senator Brown said. "Since 1997, I have been working to increase federal dollars for international anti-Tuberculosis programs, and it is essential that we address XDR-TB immediately before this undermines our progress. Current funding is at $75 million worldwide, and that just isn't enough. The consequences of coming up a day late and a dollar short could be devastating for the entire world."

"The United States should continue to support efforts to proactively tackle this dangerous strain of TB," Senator Brownback said. "The potential for the worsening of this public health threat within Africa and within the United States is very real and we should not delay action to address this disease."

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=269362