Disease

New Drug for MultiDrug-Resistant TB

WHO estimates that up to half a million new cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) occur worldwide, each year. For the first time in over 40 years, a new TB drug with a novel mechanism of action - bedaquiline- is available, and was granted accelerated approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration in December 2012.

Hawaii Warns of Possible Syphilis Outbreak

Hawaii health officials are warning the public about a possible outbreak of a sexually transmitted disease on the Big Island.

The state Department of Health is investigating five cases of syphilis reported over the past five months, primarily on the Big Island.

The health department said Wednesday that while most of the cases were reported in men who have sex with men in West Hawaii, cases related to the outbreak may develop on the other islands.

The disease is passed on during unprotected sex. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that annually about 55,000 people in the United States get new syphilis infections. Untreated syphilis infections can cause long-term complications or death.