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The incidence of tuberculosis in El Paso County is twice that of the U.S. rate. Dr. Nickey also states that leprosy, which is considered by most Americans to be a disease of the Third World, is readily evident along the U.S.-Mexico border and that dysentery is several times the U.S. rate
Interesting article. We are in dire need of immigration reform. LEGAL immigrants are tested before they even leave their countries. They wouldn't be allowed in if they didn't pass the medical exam.
Yesterday Mitt Romney made a speech about reforming immigration--not just stopping illegals--but actually doing something positive to fix the system. One of the first voices I've heard that speaks of doing something positive about this whole disaster.
"A June, 2009 article in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that a majority (57.8%) of all new cases of tuberculosis in the United States in 2007 were diagnosed in foreign-born persons. The TB infection rate among foreign-born persons was 9.8 times as high as that among U.S.-born persons.2 The article documents the medical testing process for TB required of immigrants and refugees, and this points to foreigners who are unscreened, especially the illegal alien population as the logical source of this disproportionate rate of TB incidence. It should also be kept in mind that among U.S. citizens who contract TB their exposure to the disease may well have come from exposure to a non-U.S. citizen."
Just throwing this out there because I haven't read the original NEJM article. Many people born in Latin American countries will always test positive for TB because they have received the vaccine, a vaccine that we do not give in the USA. You know those tests our kids receive on their arm? Was the tine test (4 dots) when I was a kid, looks different now. If a person has been vaccinated for TB those tests will show positive even if that person does not have TB. My husband, for example, will always test positive though he's never had TB in his life. It's something I think about at the beginning of every school year when there is a TB panic at some local school that makes the news and then nothing comes from it. I imagine, and of course I don't know for sure, that a child (legal or illegal) tested positive and the media ran with it.
Those positives mean that the tuberculosis is not presently active but is present. Ten percent of those cases will see an activation at some point in their lives.
"A June, 2009 article in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that a majority (57.8%) of all new cases of tuberculosis in the United States in 2007 were diagnosed in foreign-born persons. The TB infection rate among foreign-born persons was 9.8 times as high as that among U.S.-born persons.2 The article documents the medical testing process for TB required of immigrants and refugees, and this points to foreigners who are unscreened, especially the illegal alien population as the logical source of this disproportionate rate of TB incidence. It should also be kept in mind that among U.S. citizens who contract TB their exposure to the disease may well have come from exposure to a non-U.S. citizen."
Just throwing this out there because I haven't read the original NEJM article. Many people born in Latin American countries will always test positive for TB because they have received the vaccine, a vaccine that we do not give in the USA. You know those tests our kids receive on their arm? Was the tine test (4 dots) when I was a kid, looks different now. If a person has been vaccinated for TB those tests will show positive even if that person does not have TB. My husband, for example, will always test positive though he's never had TB in his life. It's something I think about at the beginning of every school year when there is a TB panic at some local school that makes the news and then nothing comes from it. I imagine, and of course I don't know for sure, that a child (legal or illegal) tested positive and the media ran with it.
I think you're talking about two different things. The article is about people who were DIAGNOSED with TB, they actually have the disease. "(57.8%) of all new cases of tuberculosis..." "...TB infection rate among foreign-born persons was 9.8 times..."
You're talking about people who test positive for TB. They are two different things. I tested positive for TB a long time ago and they said all it meant was that somewhere along the way I had been exposed to TB--apparently I had the antibodies.
That said, since so many people test positive, I don't know if that test matters in the immigration process. Probably a positive result shouldn't keep a new immigrant out of the US; I am no medical expert. But someone with active TB would be kept out at least until they were treated for it. Or so it would seem, if they are coming legally through the system.
Note that there is a blood test that can be done which is not influenced by vaccination against TB.
Good find, Suzy. Whew, that's a mouthful of information!
We do have excellent medical care here. Let's hope daycare providers and school teachers are well-versed and observant in identifying activation of latent cases.
yeppers, let's blame the immigrants.... they eat our dogs too and they all practice voodoo too and they take all the great janitorial jobs too and they cause global warming because we have to cut down more forests to build ghettos to house them in and they want to make the Burro the national symbol of America and they are massing in great numbers at Indian reservations in New Mexico to help the Apaches take back the country from the white devils. Yeah!!!!! I heard it on Fox News!!!!
I think you're talking about two different things. The article is about people who were DIAGNOSED with TB, they actually have the disease. "(57.8%) of all new cases of tuberculosis..." "...TB infection rate among foreign-born persons was 9.8 times..."
You're talking about people who test positive for TB. They are two different things. I tested positive for TB a long time ago and they said all it meant was that somewhere along the way I had been exposed to TB--apparently I had the antibodies.
That said, since so many people test positive, I don't know if that test matters in the immigration process. Probably a positive result shouldn't keep a new immigrant out of the US; I am no medical expert. But someone with active TB would be kept out at least until they were treated for it. Or so it would seem, if they are coming legally through the system.
OK, I see what you are saying but I suspect a positive TB test might also be seen as DIAGNOSED with TB in the USA. Bare with me on this, please. A friend from Central America had the vaccine as a child. She's from a well to do family, excellent medical care her whole life including all of the usual vaccines that we in the US get. Not only was she diagnosed with TB due to a positive TB test, but her children also tested positive through antibodies from her. She and her children were made to take a very long dose of meds, I believe around six months (?), though none of them had active TB at all. She's legal. My husband, who will always test positive, is legal. My husband served 20 years in the Marine Corps and it was there that he learned that he will test positive because he had the vaccine as a child in South America.
yeppers, let's blame the immigrants.... they eat our dogs too and they all practice voodoo too and they take all the great janitorial jobs too and they cause global warming because we have to cut down more forests to build ghettos to house them in and they want to make the Burro the national symbol of America and they are massing in great numbers at Indian reservations in New Mexico to help the Apaches take back the country from the white devils. Yeah!!!!! I heard it on Fox News!!!!
Oh, ceiligrrl. Let's just have a balanced view. It's not a matter of blame but a matter of responsibility and that falls on both immigrants and long-term citizens.
If we're honest we know that some new immigrants do eat pets. I lived across from a woman who relished cats many decades ago now. There are some religions that sacrifice animals in what to Americans are gruesome rituals. I've seen with my own eyes the poaching problems around our lakes. The rest of the traditional complaints I'm not familiar with but what I'm saying is whether it's on Fox News or CBS doesn't matter if it is fact. If it's not fact let's ignore it or educate those who disseminate it.
The key words are "some of them." It's a matter of adjusting to our culture and both they and we have some responsibility in assisting in that. That's how I see it. Others may believe it's not their responsibility and that's fine with me.
I don't think we need to be blind to areas of cultural mismatch, including hygiene and vaccination, out of fear that it might look like prejudice. Instead we need to help fix it and either side exaggerating the issues interferes with that mutually beneficial goal.
The better job we can do of keeping feelings out of the issue and substituting them with facts the easier it will be to resolve problems. (I know you love poetry so how the heck can you discard feelings? LOL)
"sorry Lodestar" she says sheeplishly..... it was just that first comment, blaming immigrants. sheesh. i have no rational thought and it's a knee jerk reaction whenever i hear ANYTHING being blamed on immigrants, heck, my people, my Irish ancestors were called apes, gorillas and the biggest scourge to ever be inflicted on NY, Philadelphia and Boston. I'm still not over that pretty much first comment that all Mexicans are rapists and a few are "good"..... and i won't even get started on the latest claims middle eastern terrorists are right in the middle of pack of the current exodus out of war/gang torn Honduras. it never ceases that without one scintilla of proof people will believe the lies, the misdirection, the outrageous claims all made for the sake of getting power and keeping power. i just want truth, not blanket statements that all democrats everywhere want whatever heinous thing he-who-shall-not-be-named claims they do, they believe, they want. I am so tired of the lies says mugwump me. but then again, they claim the truth is NOT the truth!!!!!! i'm moving to Iceland.... or Ireland... or Canada. just to find an inkling of truth.
Ah. Sorry I blew up. Anyone who loves poetry is a friend of mind.
And I'm with you about the truth part. It's maddeningly difficult to find it with the extremists on both sides of it muddying the waters.
But I want it even if it doesn't support my position and I am silly enough to think everyone should face it honestly and with the attitude that we can't fix anything without first admitting what and where the problems are.
So much of the conversation is reactionary on both sides. It's like a walk on the crust of Hell talking in mixed company about this stuff these days. Iceland may definitely be a pleasant change.
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she says sheeplishly..... it was just that first comment, blaming immigrants. sheesh. i have no rational thought and it's a knee jerk reaction whenever i hear ANYTHING being blamed on immigrants, heck, my people, my Irish ancestors were called apes, gorillas and the biggest scourge to ever be inflicted on NY, Philadelphia and Boston. I'm still not over that pretty much first comment that all Mexicans are rapists and a few are "good"..... and i won't even get started on the latest claims middle eastern terrorists are right in the middle of pack of the current exodus out of war/gang torn Honduras. it never ceases that without one scintilla of proof people will believe the lies, the misdirection, the outrageous claims all made for the sake of getting power and keeping power. i just want truth, not blanket statements that all democrats everywhere want whatever heinous thing he-who-shall-not-be-named claims they do, they believe, they want. I am so tired of the lies says mugwump me. but then again, they claim the truth is NOT the truth!!!!!! i'm moving to Iceland.... or Ireland... or Canada. just to find an inkling of truth. 
