TB seen in many aliens, study says:
A multidrug-resistant tuberculosis known as MDR-TB is persistent in California, primarily among its "foreign-born" population, and has serious financial implications for the state's public-health system, federal and state health officials said yesterday.
"Treatment for MDR-TB is very expensive -- ranging from $200,000 to $1.2 million per person, over an 18- to 24-month time period," said Dr. Reuben Granich, a lead investigator for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a press conference in the District yesterday.
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He added that 84 percent of patients infected with MDR-TB "were foreign born" and that those infected are four times as likely to die from the disease and twice as likely to "transmit the disease to others" than other tuberculosis patients.
The study did not categorize the "foreign-born" patients as illegal aliens, but says the patients in question characteristically did not complete standard TB treatment and were in the U.S. less than five years at the time of diagnosis.
Hmm, sounds like a duck.
"TB is a deadly airborne disease and a global public-health emergency. If we hope to accelerate progress and guard against resurgence of TB, we must employ innovative public-health strategies -- not border closings," Dr. Granich said.
With all due respect to the doc, it sounds like border control would be a pretty good strategy, but I'll bite - what does he recommend instead?
Overall, he said, the study underscores the need for better control of TB worldwide and the expansion of overseas screening programs.
Gosh, that's real practical - control TB everywhere else in the world to keep contagious illegal aliens from bringing it to the US. The doc then finished off his presentation with a chorus of Kumbaya. And remember, Californians, if you have to go to the emergency room, don't sit next to anyone with a cough!
