Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS512
2009-04-06 13:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:
BELGIUM HIGHLIGHTS PROGRESS, TARGETS CHALLENGES ON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBS #0512 0961351 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 061351Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS TO SCSTATE WASHDC 8809
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000512
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/LISA MILLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SENV SOCI TBIO BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM HIGHLIGHTS PROGRESS, TARGETS CHALLENGES ON
WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY
REF: A. STATE 4510
B. STATE 17303
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000512
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/LISA MILLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SENV SOCI TBIO BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM HIGHLIGHTS PROGRESS, TARGETS CHALLENGES ON
WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY
REF: A. STATE 4510
B. STATE 17303
1. (U) Summary: In observance of World Tuberculosis (TB)
Day on March 24, 2009, Belgium primarily reflected upon the
progress it has achieved in addressing the disease. The
Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp hosted a medical
conference to highlight medical improvements. An EU-funded
project, "New Medicines for Tuberculosis," announced in
Brussels the discovery of a potential new drug to treat
tuberculosis, the first of its kind in 40 years. While TB
cases in Belgium have dropped below 0.01 percent, Belgian
media focused on the increase of TB cases in those who are
also infected with HIV/AIDS. End Summary.
2. (U) Antwerp,s Institute of Tropical Medicine sponsored
a medical conference on World Tuberculosis Day entitled,
"Tuberculosis: Still a Global Emergency." The day-long
conference featured speakers from Europe and Latin America,
with topics ranging from the diagnosis and treatment of TB to
lectures exploring the European Commission's ongoing Seven
Framework Program (FP7) to combat TB.
3. (U) Earlier, on March 19, the EU-funded research
project, "New Medicines for Tuberculosis" (NM4TB),announced
the discovery of a new drug candidate to fight TB. The
project involves researchers from 14 countries around the
world. In pre-clinical research, the drug has showed
promising results in treating TB, including extensively
drug-resistant forms, without side effects. The medicine
targets a specific enzyme needed by the bacterium to
reproduce, and researchers therefore hope to not only treat
the disease but also minimize its contagiousness as well. A
new TB-specific drug hasn,t been developed in 40 years.
4. (U) This year, the number of reported TB cases in
Belgium fell below 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (0.0097
percent),continuing a recent downward trend. More than half
of the TB cases in Belgium reportedly originate elsewhere.
5. (U) While there was a general decrease in cases overall,
Belgium, like most EU states, saw a rise in TB cases among
at-risk groups, including those infected with HIV/AIDS and
those of foreign origin. There is some worry in Belgium that
the current economic crisis may lead to a surge of TB cases
due to a decline in living conditions.
6. (U) Belgian media on World TB Day focused almost
exclusively on the heightened danger of joint HIV/AIDS-TB
infection. French-language newspapers Le Soir and La Libre
cited World Health Organization statistics showing an
increase of these cases; those statistics indicated that one
in four TB-related deaths worldwide somehow involve HIV/AIDS.
BUSH
.
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/LISA MILLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SENV SOCI TBIO BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM HIGHLIGHTS PROGRESS, TARGETS CHALLENGES ON
WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY
REF: A. STATE 4510
B. STATE 17303
1. (U) Summary: In observance of World Tuberculosis (TB)
Day on March 24, 2009, Belgium primarily reflected upon the
progress it has achieved in addressing the disease. The
Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp hosted a medical
conference to highlight medical improvements. An EU-funded
project, "New Medicines for Tuberculosis," announced in
Brussels the discovery of a potential new drug to treat
tuberculosis, the first of its kind in 40 years. While TB
cases in Belgium have dropped below 0.01 percent, Belgian
media focused on the increase of TB cases in those who are
also infected with HIV/AIDS. End Summary.
2. (U) Antwerp,s Institute of Tropical Medicine sponsored
a medical conference on World Tuberculosis Day entitled,
"Tuberculosis: Still a Global Emergency." The day-long
conference featured speakers from Europe and Latin America,
with topics ranging from the diagnosis and treatment of TB to
lectures exploring the European Commission's ongoing Seven
Framework Program (FP7) to combat TB.
3. (U) Earlier, on March 19, the EU-funded research
project, "New Medicines for Tuberculosis" (NM4TB),announced
the discovery of a new drug candidate to fight TB. The
project involves researchers from 14 countries around the
world. In pre-clinical research, the drug has showed
promising results in treating TB, including extensively
drug-resistant forms, without side effects. The medicine
targets a specific enzyme needed by the bacterium to
reproduce, and researchers therefore hope to not only treat
the disease but also minimize its contagiousness as well. A
new TB-specific drug hasn,t been developed in 40 years.
4. (U) This year, the number of reported TB cases in
Belgium fell below 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (0.0097
percent),continuing a recent downward trend. More than half
of the TB cases in Belgium reportedly originate elsewhere.
5. (U) While there was a general decrease in cases overall,
Belgium, like most EU states, saw a rise in TB cases among
at-risk groups, including those infected with HIV/AIDS and
those of foreign origin. There is some worry in Belgium that
the current economic crisis may lead to a surge of TB cases
due to a decline in living conditions.
6. (U) Belgian media on World TB Day focused almost
exclusively on the heightened danger of joint HIV/AIDS-TB
infection. French-language newspapers Le Soir and La Libre
cited World Health Organization statistics showing an
increase of these cases; those statistics indicated that one
in four TB-related deaths worldwide somehow involve HIV/AIDS.
BUSH
.