Editorial: World TB Day important to note

In an era when we hear a lot about HIV, possible flu pandemics and bizarre diseases like SARS, little attention is given to diseases like tuberculosis. But given the fact that Tuesday was World TB Day, we thought we would take this space to tell you a little about the disease, its spread in the United States and what we can do about it.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease. It can spread when its germs are breathed in after an infected person coughs, sneezes or in some other way sends the germs into the air. TB can affect any part of the body, but it is generally known as a disease that concentrates on the lungs.

So why are we talking about TB? It's gone, right? Nothing to worry about? Not quite.

There were 13,299 cases of TB in the United States in 2007. While that may seem like a scary number, the good news is that it's the lowest recorded since 1953. But before you start to feel too safe, keep in mind that while the rate of TB in the United States has been on the decline since 1992, this decline has slowed. It went from a 6.6 percent annual average decline for 1993 through 2002, to only 3.3 percent for 2003 through 2007.

Now, how about Virginia? In 2007, there were 309 active cases of TB. That's 23 fewer cases than in 2006. However, it is important to note that the highest concentration — 194 cases, or 62.7 percent — was in Northern Virginia. Also important to note is the fact that TB is more prevalent in foreign-born people — about 10 times higher than in the U.S. born. Nevertheless, in 2007, the number of cases decreased in both groups in Virginia, though only slightly among the foreign born.

We point out the rate among the foreign born not because we want a scapegoat, but because our contribution to efforts to eradicate TB worldwide will have direct results in the United States.

The United States gives to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The fund will probably need $8 billion in 2010, but to fulfill that need would take a commitment from the United States of $2.7 billion. And yes, we know that our country is already using ridiculously large amounts of money to deal with its economic situation, but the American contribution to this fund would not just be goodwill money, it would actually benefit the United States.

People from around the world immigrate here in pursuit of the American dream, and by ensuring that they don't get TB where they live, we can decrease the chances that they will bring it where we live.

Combating this disease is practical and will have benefits in the United States, Virginia, and most importantly for us, Northern Virginia.

Stafford County Sun editorials represent the opinion of the managing editor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on his page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily the Stafford County Sun.