Peruvian Oswaldo Juarez, 19, came to the United States to study English. Thinking he had an autumn cold the young man didn't seek treatment until he coughed up blood. What he has is XXDR tuberculosis.
Since that time Juarez has been confined to a Florida TB sanatorium.
ABC News quotes tuberculosis expert Dr. David Ashkin:
"He is really the future," Ashkin said. "This is the new class that people are not really talking too much about. These are the ones we really fear because I'm not sure how we treat them."
With TB each cough has the potential of spreading the germ to others.
XXDR tuberculosis is but one of a
group of diseases being labeled 'superbugs.' These once treatable viruses happen when they evolve a resistance to known antibiotics.
Modern medicine has helped these 'superbugs' develop. The over-dosages of antibiotics for viral infections is one suspected cause. Antibiotics are useless against viruses, only working on bacteria.
When a patient does need antibiotics they need to take the entire course of drugs.
Limit your use of antibacterial products. By limiting the body's contact with normal household bacteria the body can loss the protection that they can offer, allowing benigh bacteria mutate into a deadly strain.
