James Nachtwey: "Struggle to Live - the fight against TB"

James Nachtwey has documented the resurgence of tuberculosis and its varying strains MDR and XDR in seven countries around the world. These countries include Cambodia, Lesotho, South Africa, Siberia, India, Swaziland, and Thailand. He has captured the lives of both patients and health care workers in the struggle against this ancient disease, which still remains very much a part of the present. Not only does TB remain a killer disease in its most recognizable form but it is mutating into even more deadly forms: multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extremely drug resistant (XDR) TB. While still a small subset of the TB cases, these new strains pose a grave global health threat. XDR-TB is a man-made catastrophe, resulting from too few resources being allocated for the proper diagnosis and treatment of TB patients in developing countries.

Despite the fact that tuberculosis afflicts a huge number of people its not on the radar screen in terms of public awareness. Normal tuberculosis, if diagnosed and treated diligently, is very inexpensive and doesnt take very long to cure. But if normal TB is not treated, it mutates and becomes 100 times more expensive, requires a two-year cure and a long stay in the hospital, which many of those infected cannot afford. The thought of XDR getting out of control is truly frightening, says James Nachtwey.

NOTE: THIS ESSAY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT.

(c) 2010 James Nachtwey, BURN Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

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• nachtwey
• tb
• burn
• bd
• xdrtb
• struggletolive
• bectondickinson
• tuberculosis
• mdr
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• photographer
• warphotographer
• photography
• fightagainsttb
• time
• burnmagazine
• 2010

[dessiar]

Voice of the world, as always. just one word: Amazing!

[carolynnmitchell2]

this is horrible. i pray these people stop having children.

[dellaregie]

ohmyy ;(

[SodapopSays]

@carolynnmitchell2 i don't pray, but i'll hope.

[kouki1jayz]

favorite picture is at 4:12

[joflores1978]

i also try to capture the true nature of this world through a lens. this piece was powerful and inspirational. thank you.

[carolin0bindzus]

But nevertheless: Good job to good about that. A normal tuberculosis treatment is cheap and could save many lives... But actually: Its still too expensive for them, who need it...

[carolin0bindzus]

"But if normal TB is not treated, it mutates and becomes 100 times more expensive, requires a two-year cure and a long stay in the hospital, which many of those infected cannot afford."

This sentence is not correct. If TB is not CORRECTLY treated, there ist the possibility, that the bacteria will mutate. If TB ist NOT treated, there will be no mutation. Simple Genetic...

[Mikeint0sh]

@MsLarissa24 get over it, hes doing more for these people then you are!