http://shanghaiist.com/2007/02/22/tuberculosis_in.php All comments for Tuberculosis in Shanghai and other pleasant topics en-us 2009 shang_kenneth Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:00:13 +0800 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss kenneth@shanghaiist.com kenneth@shanghaiist.com 60 http://shanghaiist.com/2007/02/22/tuberculosis_in.php#comment-1019749 http://shanghaiist.com/2007/02/22/tuberculosis_in.php#comment-1019749 Comments Fri, 23 Feb 2007 15:43:02 +0800 <p>your answer in code form... Cough once - no. Cough twice without covering your mouth in a packed subway car - yes. Places with transient populations are more susceptible to ongoing TB problems due to the increased opportunity of mixing different strains of TB in the one locale. Add in high population density, old hospitals for nosocomial transmission, and poor public attitudes to personal hygiene and poverty, it makes for a congested throaty mix of disease. TB (& other Mycobacteriales) are nasty organisms to control due to their inherent dessication and disinfection chemical resistance properties. Hence, they like to hang around on surfaces like the handles on the subway, bus or taxi, even after the standard ayi swipe cleaning. All these factors contribute to why Shanghai is a perfect environment for ongoing cases of tuberculoid infections. Cover your mouth and wash your freakin' hands people! It is that simple. -Tim </p> http://shanghaiist.com/2007/02/22/tuberculosis_in.php#comment-1019682 http://shanghaiist.com/2007/02/22/tuberculosis_in.php#comment-1019682 Comments Fri, 23 Feb 2007 11:41:34 +0800 <p>Couldn't be from a lack of good personal hygiene in public or private places, could it?</p>