TB Blues

Jimmie Rodgers, born 1897, was a country singer whose influence is probably best indicated by the three names by which he is often known: The Singing Brakeman, The Blues Yodeler, and The Father of Country Music. He died from Tuberculosis in 1933.

He sang two songs explicitly about TB: "T.B. Blues" in 1931 and “Whippin’ That Old T.B.” in 1932. He died from T.B. (from a lung hemorrhage) just two days after his last recording session. During the session he was so weak from T.B that he needed to rest on a cot between songs.

All those death metal bands can have scary names (Anthrax, Ebola, Cholera etc) but it takes real cojones to sing about about the disease that is killing you

I've been fightin' like a lion looks like I'm going to lose
I've been fightin' like a lion looks like I'm going to lose
Cause there ain't nobody ever whipped the TB blues
I've got the TB blues


Gee but that graveyard is a lonesome place
Lord but that graveyard is a lonesome place
They put you on your back throw that mud down in your face
I've got the TB blues

World Tuberculosis Day

The World Health Organization (WHO) organizes a World TB Day every year in order to raise awareness of the prevalence of the disease. The event is held every year on March 24, which is the anniversary of Robert Koch's discovery of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. By raising awareness, the WHO hopes to "cut TB prevalence rates and deaths by half by 1215" (WHO website).
According to the website, WHO is endorsing different programs and tests which would allow for increased awareness and better treatment.
Check out the different links on the website, they're pretty helpful!http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_tb_day/en/index.html

Antiobiotic resistance misconception

Doctors adjust the IV for a patient with MDR-TB at a government hospital in Maseru, Lesotho. From XDRTB.org

I think one of the most common misconceptions about antibiotic resistance is that because we have a number of antibiotics effective against most diseases then antibiotic resistance will only become a big problem when bacteria have become resistant to everything.

This is wrong because in most cases the drugs we have available range from cheap with few side effects to expensive with serious side effects. Because of this we often have big problems even before the bacteria are technically resistant to 'everything'.

So for Tuberculosis, for example, it goes something like this:

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Cost of drug treatment: $10-$20
• Course of treatment: 6 months
• Side effects of treatment: generally minor but may include vomiting, nausea and loss of appetite.

Multi-drug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)

• Cost of drug treatment: up to $5,000 - $20,000
• Course of treatment: 2 years
• Side effects of treatment: side-effects are more serious and include hepatitis, depression and hallucinations.

Extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB)

• Cost of drug treatment: cases have been dealt with individually - some have cost $500,000
• Course of treatment: as long as it takes, many patients die
• Side effects of treatment: severe, in South Africa many patients discontinued treatment stating that they would rather die.

Classic episodes

Okay repeats. I know there are so many posts in the archives now that most of you probably don't have time to delve into them so here, again, are some favorites on the topic of TB, antibiotics and antibiotic resistance.

• Got TB? Have some heroin.
• Saving not just lives
• Meet the Penicilliums
• Stroptomyces
• Meet the Clostridiums 
• Minié balls and infection before penicillin

Giant Microbes

This may be the only time someone would be happy to be given Cholera

Many more can be found at this link: Giant Microbes

Enjoy!

Tuberculosis Inhalers?

After today's lecture, I looked up information on unique treatments for tuberculosis. Originally, I wanted to find something along the lines of those baffling treatments that people used for cholera (putting bricks in the windows, growing mustaches, smoking, etc.) All I could find were a surprising amount of links to a picture of what I presume to be a doctor (probably the leading physician of his time) curing TB by sticking what looks like a giant gold plunger onto a woman's chest, which is supposed to deliver an electric shock. I hope he remembered to shout "Clear!"

Tuberculosis Treated By Electricity

I did end up finding information on something that might be slightly more useful for TB patients. Researchers at the University of Colorado (as well as University of North Carolina, and Harvard University) have developed a way to inhale antibiotics that fight MDR TB, delivering the antibiotic straight to the deep lung tissue where TB first arises. They have even experimented with aerosols that could deliver this drug through something that is similar to an inhaler used by asthma patients. The hope here is that it would cut down dramatically on cost and treatment time for TB patients, as well as less severe side effects. More information can be found here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101116150027.htm

and here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100415134412.htm

This little piggy

You will find a LOT of information on the web about antibiotics and, especially, antibiotic resistance. A lot of people are increasingly concerned about this topic and websites such as SaveAntibiotics.org and KeepAntibioticsWorking.com contain a lot of useful information, videos and links.

Currently the hot topic is pending changes that would restrict the use of antibiotics in the meat industry to when animals are actually sick.
eg New York Times article from last October: Meat industry unhappy over limiting the use of antibiotics
For decades, factory farms have used antibiotics even in healthy animals to promote faster growth and prevent diseases that could sicken livestock held in confined quarters.
The benefit: cheaper, more plentiful meat for consumers.
But a firestorm has erupted over a federal proposal recommending antibiotics only when animals are actually sick.