Woman with killer TB found

2006-09-13 15:30

Johannesburg - The Johannesburg woman who went missing after being diagnosed with extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has been found and re-admitted to hospital.

Gauteng health department spokesperson Zanele Zungu said on Wednesday that the patient was diagnosed with the killer TB strain at Sizwe Tropical Diseases hospital in Edenvale, but she refused treatment and left for home.

On Wednesday, the department launched a search for the woman and she was found.

Zungu didn't want to give more details about the patient or where she'd been found.

She said the patient - who'd been diagnosed with the disease last week - was a serious risk to public health.

"The patient was fully informed of the seriousness of the results of the culture that was performed and that re-admission was necessary.

Right to refuse treatment

However, despite all efforts, the patient refused any further hospital admission and left for home," Zungu said.

"While we recognise the rights of any patient to refuse hospital treatment, the department has invoked a section of the National Health Act which limits the individual's rights in order to protect the public," Zungu said.

The outbreak of the disease in Tugela Ferry, KwaZulu-Natal, has killed 60 people since January 2005 - including eight admitted to hospital with XDR-TB between March and August this year.

XDR-TB is a virulent form of TB which is resistant to the two drugs used to treat multi-drug resistant TB, and to which people with HIV and Aids are particularly susceptible.

- SAPA