Contrary to popular belief, tuberculosis is not an eradicated disease in the civilized world. The biggest problem today is the increase in infections with germs that are resistant to antibiotic treatment.
Tuberculosis is a problem not only in Africa, where it occurs most often, but actually all over the world, also in highly industrialized countries.
According to WHO data, in 2011 8,7 million people became infected with tuberculosis and 1,4 million people died because of the untreated disease.
Contrary to appearances, tuberculosis is also a problem in Poland. In 2012, in our country, per 100 22,2 cases of the disease were registered in the population. This is more than four times more than in our western neighbors – in Germany last year there were 5,3 cases per 100 thousand. residents. The morbidity among children is also increasing.
According to the latest research from the University of Kiel, Europe may be faced with a tuberculosis epidemic, which will cost billions of euros. As calculated by researchers from Kiel, in Europe, treatment of tuberculosis patients already costs over EUR 500 million annually.
In the old EU countries, the costs of treating a normal case of tuberculosis amount to approx. PLN 10. euro, but in the case of infection with drug-resistant mycobacteria it is already 57 thousand. euro. In the countries of Eastern Europe that joined the EU, these costs amount to, respectively, approx. 3400 and 24 thousand. euro.
‘It is high time for EU governments and the pharmaceutical industry to act,’ said Roland Diel, head of the Kiel research team, warning that the economic loss caused by the disease would be far greater than the investment required to invent new vaccines and drugs.
Sources: European Respiratory Journal / Deutsche Welle
Text: Tomasz Kobosz