Rome (Fides) – A study by the Berkeley University in California obtained a changing of the factor which generates TB by dis-activating a group of TB bacteria genes which is even more lethal. After only two weeks from the infection with the TB changing bacteria in mice the scientists found a significant number of bacteria compared to the wild variety. In 27 weeks the mice began to die while their counterparts infected with normal TB lived for the whole of the experiment which lasted 41 weeks.
Scientists hoped that by changing the genes it would be possible to reduce the bacteria’s ability to infect mice. Instead the bacteria became even more lethal.
The agent which generates tuberculosis infects one third of the world population and kills 2 million persons every year. According to WHO which declared TB a global emergency in 1993 unless the disease is checked by 2020 some 36 million people will be infected. In England about 6% TB cases present a certain resistance to main antibiotics used and in other countries the percentage is even higher. Researchers hope that in future a mouth swab may suffice to identify the TB bacteria in future. (AP) (15/12/2003 Fides Service; lines:23 words:270)