Health organizations say tuberculosis causes the
death of more people living with HIV than any other disease. Figures released
by the World Health Organization and UNAIDS show an estimated 13% of AIDS
deaths worldwide from TB. Many of these deaths occur in underdeveloped
countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.
The World Health Organization says sub-Saharan
Africa continues to see a rise in HIV/TB deaths. Dr. Anthony Fauci is the
director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He says
the combination of HIV and TB, known as a co-infection, creates a big
challenge. "If you are co-infected with HIV…there is a much higher chance for
reactivating your latent TB…" He says
The immune systems of those infected with HIV
are so depressed that it's very difficult for the body to fight TB. Dr. Fauci
warns that in developing countries the full scope of the effects of AIDS/TB is
still unknown.
"It is probably the tip of the iceberg…. We are
going to see more numbers of people being co-infected by TB and HIV.... " He says
In Cape Town, South Africa, Clarence Rodrick is
an example of the importance of catching TB early. He has been living with HIV
for over ten years, and because of his job as an AIDS counselor, he comes into
contact with TB patients every day. He was fortunate to know about the dangers
of TB when he contracted it. He sought immediate medical attention. "I was coughing and I was perspiring…. I went
to my doctor. And I have not contracted TB ever since." He says
Dr. Fauci says
that most health systems underestimated the scope and challenge that TB
posed. Even developed countries thought they had the disease under control. He
that "TB has been overlooked…not only in developing nations…[but also] right
here in the United States because TB figures were going down each year…. So we
became lax about the public health measures, the diagnostics."
He warns that the fight against tuberculosis is
far from being won because of HIV and because of extra drug resistant TB, known
as XDR-TB. " In some respects we are making progress,
but in others we are getting a setback by the emergence of XDR-TB. We have been
successful more in developed countries…." He says
Dr. David Olson works with the TB program of
Doctors Without Borders. He warns that the more HIV/TB co-infections, the
greater the chances of spreading it to other members of the community.
" It
is the main cause of death in HIV cases in sub-Saharan Africa. And the more the
infectious cases you have, the greater chances of spreading to other
individuals without HIV." He says
Rodrick says that many people in rural South
Africa who live with HIVhave not been educated about TB. This puts them
at a great risk of contracting the disease. His organization, the Action
Support Network, tries to educate HIV-positive people about TB. He recalls how
lucky he was to have recognized TB when he got it. " Basically for me it was in the beginning
stages…but many people don't have the knowledge about TB." He says.
For many people like Rodrick, there is hope
because for the past six years,there has been an increased commitment and
political will to fight the world's oldest pandemic.