Victims of polio in Africa
When tuberculosis is mentioned in this country, Victorians in top hats and hooped skirts generally spring to mind, perhaps aided by characters like Satine from Moulin Rouge or Fantine from Les Miserables.
Infections are low in this country, such that routine secondary school vaccinations ceased in 2005. However, the bacterium that causes TB, Mycobacteria tuberculosis, is currently responsible for 2 million deaths a year, and is changing fast.
Terrifyingly, New Scientist recently reported a form of TB spreading through India which is resistant to all known drugs. This is a situation which hasn’t been seen for a century. How has this come about?
Some diseases are tantalisingly close to being wiped out. Polio, a disease which can cause severe limb deformation and paralysis, was only found in 1.606 people throughout 2009. So haven’t we pretty much won – isn’t elimination inevitable? It’s still too soon to say. If the endgame is played too recklessly or if too many corners are cut in the interest of saving money, a devastating resurgence is still a possibility.
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