Tuberculosis cases on the rise in Switzerland
Keystone-SDA
Tuberculosis cases are on the rise in Switzerland, particularly due to the arrival of people from regions of the world where the disease is more prevalent, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) told the Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS.
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Since the beginning of the year, 475 cases have been reported, compared to 376 and 375 for the same period in the past two years, which represents a 26% increase for the year. It should be noted that the increase does not affect people born in Switzerland.
The FOPH had already noted an increase in tuberculosis cases in 2023. Young immigrants are particularly affected. Among the population born in Switzerland, it is mainly the elderly who are ill, the FOPH noted. Many of them contracted tuberculosis when they were young, when it was much more widespread in Switzerland.
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A breath of fresh air for an alpine village
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is transmitted by air, when the sick person coughs and spreads small droplets containing the infectious agents in the air, which are then breathed in by other healthy individuals. To be infected, a person must be in the same room as the sick person for several hours.
There is a vaccine, but it is not available in Switzerland. According to the FOPH, tuberculosis can be treated very well by taking special antibiotics for several months. If left untreated, the disease often ends in death.
Adapted from Italian by AI/ts
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