The key facts
- The EurA1.1 strain is resistant to first- and second-line drugs, with some samples resistant even to reserve medications
- It is transmitted by airborne droplets, has no specific symptoms, and its resistance can only be determined in a laboratory
- The risk of infection on public transport is low; it is higher with prolonged contact in poorly ventilated spaces
Doctor comments on risks on transport and in offices
The drug-resistant tuberculosis strain EurA1.1 can be contracted in any crowded places, including public transport or an office, since it is transmitted by airborne droplets, infectious disease physician Andrey Pozdnyakov told Sib.fm. At the same time, he confirmed the risk of infection after a metro ride but stressed that this probability remains low: as a rule, infection requires regular and prolonged contact with a person suffering from the active form of the disease. For this reason, the risks are higher in poorly ventilated offices, dormitories and classrooms.
Features of the strain and no reason for panic
Pozdnyakov called the panic around the disease groundless, noting that there is nothing new for medicine: this pathogen was studied ten years ago. According to him, the EurA1.1 strain is distinguished by the fact that it does not respond to first- and second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs, and some of its samples are resistant even to reserve medications. However, this feature does not increase the pathogenicity of the bacterium. “The mechanism of infection transmission remains the same — the airborne droplet route. This strain has no specific symptoms, and its resistance can only be determined in a laboratory,” Gazeta.Ru quotes the physician.
Prevention and treatment
For protection, the specialist advised taking preventive measures within reason: avoiding contact with people who have been coughing for a long time and wearing a mask in crowded places, especially in medical facilities. Speaking about treatment, Pozdnyakov noted that the situation with patients remains under control: after diagnosis, testing of the pathogen's sensitivity to drugs is carried out, after which a treatment plan is drawn up.
Data from the strain study
Earlier it became known that the tuberculosis pathogen EurA1.1 had begun to circulate. According to scientists, this branch has spread most widely in Belarus, but it is also found in other European countries, including Russia. The specialists analyzed the genomes of 1,362 samples, 62 of which were obtained in Russia. The study revealed the resistance of EurA1.1 to key antibiotics and therapeutic agents. Earlier, an epidemiologist also assessed the danger of the drug-resistant tuberculosis strain that had entered Russia.
