The United States should drastically reduce its financial support for vaccination in poor countries, alarmed Sania Nishtar, director general of the vaccine alliance. Also known by the acronym GAVI, this organization is the spearhead of international efforts to accelerate vaccination, especially in poor countries which lack funds to start campaigns. It helps low-income countries to vaccinate against COVID-19, EBOLA, malaria, rage, polio, cholera, typhoid or yellow fever and tuberculosis.
In 2023, 1.25 million people died of tuberculosis worldwide. The African region is the hardest affected, followed by Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, but the disease also progresses in Europe, particularly among the youngest.
In 2023, in the European Union zone alone and the European Economic Area (EU/EEE), nearly 37,000 people were diagnosed, 2,000 more than the previous year, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe carried out with the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECD). Children under the age of 15 represented 4.3% of all cases of tuberculosis in the EU/EEE, “which represents an increase for the third consecutive year,” said health organizations in a press release.
While France wonders about the effectiveness of its screenings and the United Kingdom has called health professionals and people with tuberculosis to participate in the development of a new action plan, how is Luxembourg prepare for a possible increase in cases?
Arrested on the issue by deputy Pirate Sven Clement, the minister of Health, Martine Deprez, has taken stock. She recalled that the law imposed on all doctors and laboratories to declare infectious diseases within a day. She also said that all those from third countries requesting a residence permit or international protection were subject to a medical examination, including tuberculosis screening.
In 2023, 1,615 IGRA (Interferon Gamma Release Assay) tests were declared. These people had between 5 and 10% risk of declaring the disease in the coming years. Only 46 cases of tuberculosis were actually declared in 2023. “For the moment, the impact of tuberculosis in Luxembourg is weak,” said the minister. “Current measures are enough to maintain the situation under control satisfactorily”. But “it is important to continue to monitor the disease,” she said, aware that US budget cuts will undermine efforts in the most affected countries.
Regarding a possible emergency plan, “a law on public health is currently being developed” and “the health management works on an operational level for all actors confronted with epidemic and biological risks”.
Transmission and symptoms
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection due to the Koch bacillus (BK) which can be transmitted by air, explains the CHL. A tuberculous patient transmits the BKs by coughing, spitting, sneezing, or simply speaking. The BKs remain present in the air for several hours. The risk is all the greater as the BK concentration is high.
A third of the world’s population is infected, but only 5 to 10% of individuals develop a symptomatic disease. The incubation time may be more or less long (1 to 3 months, or even 2 years).
The main symptoms are prolonged cough, fatigue, fever, night sweats, weight loss and chest pain. The disease, if treated properly, is cured, but can leave stigmata.
