The World Health Organization is reporting what it calls an alarming and dramatic rise in the number of cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Europe.
WHO regional director for Europe Zsuzsanna Jakab calls TB an old disease that never went away and is now evolving with a vengeance. Tens of thousands of new cases are being reported every year in Western and Eastern Europe.
The WHO says it has developed a new action plan to help fight the disease. The plan includes emphasizing the need for doctors and patients to be more aware of the symptoms of TB to ensure a speedy diagnosis. It also says patients' failure to properly take their medications has helped strains of drug resistant TB to develop.
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria that destroys lung tissues. It is highly contagious and easily spread by coughing.