United Nations - The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that a deadly new strain of tuberculosis has spread from South Africa to Europe, Canada and the United States. The extremely strong strain called XDR-TB (extremely drug-resistant) has now been documented in 35 countries world wide, with 16 new countries occurring in the first 3 months of 2007.

Mario Raviglione, the Director of the STOP TB program at WHO stated that "If it keeps spreading, as it has in South Africa, then we are really in trouble." Raviglione stated that the new strain was now documented in the United States, Canada, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Sweden, the former Soviet Union, and other countries.

There are 269 confirmed cases of XDR, 85% of which are anticipated to be fatal. WHO reported that XDR increased from 3% to 11% in the industrialized countries last year, without giving any specifics. A slightly less dangerous strain called the MTB (multi-drug resistant) is also arriving from Africa with XDR.

MTB-TB does not respond well to the two most powerful TB drugs available, causing patients to take more medication than recommended. This often leads to extreme adverse side effects.

With no known cure for XDR, patients are getting treated with HIV and TB remedies simultaneously.