A doctor gives check-up to a patient at Dong Nai Lung Hospital (Photo: baodongnai.com.vn)drug-resistant tuberculosis in the southern province of Dong Nai is being
treated at the provincial Lung Hospital.
The information was released by the hospital on February 14.
The 62-year-old patient, who remains anonymous, is from Bien Hoa
city. He was hospitalised in September 2015 for treatment of drug-resistant
tuberculosis.
Despite long-term treatment, his condition did not improve and
he still tested positive for tuberculosis bacteria.
The Dong Nai Lung Hospital sent his medical samples to HCM
City-based Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital for testing. Results revealed that he
suffered from totally drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Bui Van Thinh, head of the Tuberculosis Male Patient and
Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Ward under the provincial hospital, said the
patient is under treatment and supervision at the hospital.
At present, his condition is gradually improving and he has
tested negative for tuberculosis bacteria.
Nguyen Ngoc Khanh, Director of the Dong Nai Lung Hospital, said
totally drug-resistant tuberculosis was a dangerous disease and occurred in
patients suffering from drug-resistant tuberculosis, who did not receive proper
treatment or caught the disease from another totally drug-resistant
tuberculosis patients.
Treatment for totally drug-resistant tuberculosis was very
difficult and prolonged, while medicines to treat the disease had several side
effects that could be fatal, he said.
Khanh said the tuberculosis could spread quickly, so the
hospital had a separate area for patients, which
was far from areas housing patients with other lung diseases.
The hospital warned that residents with symptoms of prolonged
coughing who had used different medication but their condition not improved and
those suffering from high temperature in the afternoon and were losing weight
should visit the hospital for timely treatment.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
