News Bites (cont)

International tuberculosis targets reachable—International goals for reducing the number of tuberculosis (TB) cases and deaths by 2015 can be achieved, but the challenge will be greatest in Africa and eastern Europe, says a study in the TB theme issue of JAMA.TB is currently infecting one third of the world's population and killing some 2 million people every year. Some developed countries, such as the United States, have had declining numbers of individuals infected with TB over the past decade, but 23 countries account for 80% of all new TB cases, with more than half concentrated in five countries—Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, and Nigeria (http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/293/22/2793).

Lack of sleep harms patient care, students say—Almost half of medical students and residents believe that sleep deprivation or fatigue may have negatively affected patient care, says a survey by the American Medical Association. Residents in the United States work a total of 68 hours per week and medical students 60 hours. However, the survey found that 11% of residents work more than 80 hours a week, which is the maximum amount set to them by the Accreditation Council for Graduated Medical Education. Half of the residents …