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Tuberculosis On The Rise In Latin America Due To High Imprisonment Rates
Tuberculosis Crisis in Latin America: The Harsh RealityLatin America is facing a growing crisis as tuberculosis rates surge due to high imprisonment rates. The region, which has the fastest-growing prison population globally, is bucking the trend of declining tuberculosis cases seen in other parts of the world.
The Root Cause: Prisons as Incubators of DiseaseA recent study published in The Lancet Public Health journal has shed light on the alarming link between high incarceration rates and the rise of tuberculosis in Latin America. Contrary to previous assumptions, HIV/Aids is not the primary risk factor for tuberculosis in the region. Instead, researchers have identified imprisonment as the leading cause of the disease's spread.
The study focused on six countries – Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and El Salvador – which collectively account for the majority of tuberculosis cases in the region. The exponential increase in imprisonment rates in these countries has surpassed traditional risk factors like HIV/Aids, smoking, drug use, and malnutrition.
The Grim Reality Inside PrisonsThe conditions within Latin American prisons are ideal for the transmission of tuberculosis. Overcrowded spaces, lack of proper ventilation, and a population with individual risk factors for the disease create a breeding ground for infections. Tuberculosis rates among incarcerated individuals are a staggering 26 times higher than in the general population.
Juan Pappier, from Human Rights Watch, attributes the surge in incarcerations to excessive pretrial detention and longer sentencing durations, fueled by populist responses to crime. The mass incarceration has not only failed to reduce crime rates but has also bolstered criminal organizations operating within prisons.
Julita Lemgruber, a former prison system head, highlights the misconception that punishment equals imprisonment. In countries like Brazil, where there is no death penalty, incarcerated individuals eventually return to society, potentially spreading tuberculosis beyond prison walls.
A Call for Change and ActionExperts like Dr. Julio Croda emphasize the urgent need for reducing incarceration rates and improving prison conditions to combat the tuberculosis crisis. Diagnostic tests are rarely conducted within prisons, leading to underreported cases of the disease. Providing humane treatment and better healthcare services within penitentiaries is crucial to addressing this public health emergency.
The study projects that a 50% reduction in prisoner intake and sentence lengths by 2034 could lead to a significant decline in tuberculosis cases. However, immediate action is needed to prevent further catastrophic consequences in Latin America's prisons. By targeting the root causes of mass incarceration and implementing strategic reforms, the region can work towards a future with fewer cases of tuberculosis and a healthier population overall.
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Bovine Tuberculosis Study Finds Cattle-to-cattle Transmission 'most Common'
The study reveals patterns of bovine TB transmission within and between cattle and badger populations
Cattle-to-cattle transmission of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is "considerably more common" than badger-to-cattle transmission, a new study has found.
The research by the Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute (AFBI) analysed the genetic data of the bacterium that causes bTB.
It follows a five-year Test, Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) project in County Down which included selective badger culls.
The AFBI study generated 162 gigabytes of genetic data.
It reveals patterns of bTB transmission within and between cattle and badger populations in the TVR zone near Banbridge.
It found cattle-to-cattle transmission was "by far" the most common form of disease spread observed, while badger-to-badger transmission was undetected.
Scientists detected transmission from cattle to badgers and vice versa, but found cattle-to-badger transmission "appeared to be considerably more common than badger-to-cattle transmission", although highly variable.
The study found badger-to-cattle TB spread was by far less common than cattle-to-cattle
AFBI said: "The sum of the evidence suggests that cattle were playing the major role in the spread of disease in the TVR zone, with badgers involved, but to a lesser extent."
But it added that where badger-to-cattle transmission occurs, it can amplify within a herd "to have a much greater impact" and "it remains plausible that a trickle of infection from badgers to cattle could still have an outsized effect".
The scientists said the use of genomics for disease surveillance, used widely during the Covid pandemic, was "likely to be of increasing importance for bTB control in the future".
A strategy to tackle Bovine TB in Northern Ireland was announced by the then-agriculture minister Edwin Poots in March 2022.
Bovine TB at highest level for three years
Limited badger cull to start in NI
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