The organization is also cautioning about the outbreak of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis or XDR-TB that was detected in 2005 and killed 52 of its 53 victims. All of the victims were also infected with HIV. However, this extremely dangerous form of TB gained international attention only at the AIDS meeting in Toronto last August.
WHO blames the mistreatment of the disease for its rise in South Africa, including the misuse of antibiotics, a failure to separate high-risk patients and a lack of funding for drugs and lab tests.
The Hamilton Spectator reported that Tuberculosis-causing bacteria infects 8.8 million people a year and causes 1.6 million deaths. The infection is only curable, as long as the bacteria are susceptible to antibiotics but once the patient stops reacting to drugs; it develops in XDR-TB.
Dr. Karin Weyer of the South African Medical Research Council said XDR-TB has been found in more than 40 hospitals in all nine provinces of South Africa.
WHO has called XDR-TB as "a grave public health threat" as it has the potential to kill millions of HIV-infected people in poor countries. However, the disease poses comparatively lesser threat to people who do not have HIV.
Experts have also warned that XDR-TB could be dangerous to the millions with weakened immune systems from treatment for cancer and other diseases. The deadly strain has been detected in more than 40 hospitals in all nine provinces of South Africa.
WHO has also warned that one or more cases of XDR-TB had been found in at least 28 countries including from China, India and Russia. Doctors say the only cause for spreading the disease is inappropriate use of antibiotics.
XDR-TB is equally infectious as regular tuberculosis and is also highly transmissible. Currently, about 20 experimental drugs are being tested and experts are hopeful to find the treatment soon.
