South African AIDS pandemic leads to rise in tuberculosis

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — South Africa's HIV/AIDS pandemic has led to a major rise in the rate of tuberculosis infection, with 300,000 new cases recorded last year, the government has said.

"We recorded about 300,000 new cases of TB last year, and most of the affected are people in the most productive age groups," said Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang at a meeting with business representatives.

"A TB patient can lose an average of three to four months of work time, which translates to between 20 and 30 percent of the patient's annual income lost due to lost earnings. And about 15 years of income is lost due to premature death."

The minister said in a report there had been ...