Epidemiology Rahel Biru
Grand Canyon University: NRS-427V
Colleen Darrow
26 October 2014
Tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB) has been existed in the human population since ancient times. The fragments of the spinal column from Egyptian mummies from 2400 BCE show specific symptoms of TB. In 1720, the British Doctor Benjamin Martin was the first one to think that tuberculosis could be caused by microorganisms. However, the exact cause of TB was still undiscovered.
Moving forward in 1865, TB was proven to be communicable by the French military doctor, Jean Antoine Villemin single-handedly demonstrated that infectious disease could be transmitted from humans to animals and from animals to humans. Based on his experimental advancement, he proposed a specific microorganism as the cause of the disease. This latest progress helps people to change their old belief and adopt the newly discovery. In 1882 Koch revealed the bacteria that coursed TB, discovered a discoloration system that made it possible for him to see the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This discovery brought a lot of excitement to the whole wide world; they thought finally the fight against TB started to come. The measurements on hand for the doctors were very little. Physicians of that time emphasized the importance of social, hygiene and sufficient nutrition will help the patient to be stronger to fight against the TB disease.
Fast forward according to the WHO, TB infection is currently spreading still in high speed as fast as one person per second. TB is known to kill more young people and adults than any other communicable disease. Every year 8 to 10 million people get infected according to recent research where 3 million people dying from TB. The prediction by WHO is in 2020 about one billion people will be infected with TB. Of all the one billion 70 million will die. Some of the places where TB is spreading widely are sub-Saharan Africa with 2 million incidents a year Eastern Europe with 250,000 incidents a year, South East Asia, 3 million incidents. In general, one-third of the world's population is at present infected with TB. The breakdown in health system, the spread of HIV/AIDS and the emergence of multi drug-resistant TB are contributing to the worsening impact of this disease (CDC).
Human is the only reservoir for TB the portal exit is mouth and nose. Just like the common cold, TB is transmitted from person to person by air a person acquires TB infection by inhaling tiny droplets of moisture infected with the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis bacteria. The source of these infected droplets are usually coming from someone who is infected with TB when the patient is talking, sneezing or coughing thousands of infected droplets fill the air. The other person will get infected simply by inhaling the droplets from the sick person so portal re-entry is mouth and nose. Untreated TB can be fatal it affects primarily the lungs but it can also affect other body parts as well. Without treatment TB can lead to sever complication to mention some: spinal pain, joint damage, meningitis, liver or kidney problem. In general, TB is an airborne infection disease which is avoidable and curable.
Some of the symptoms of TB’s are weight loss, appetite loss, weakness, night sweat fever and productive and prolonged cough lasting more than weeks. The treatment options are combination of multiple drugs over period of time. Patients need education how the medication are taken and for how long. Also patients needs routine follow-ups at least once a month while on the medication, evaluation for possible adverse reaction/ drug resistant. Patients needs to be educated and understood to take his/her medication through the course even if they are feeling better and don’t have the symptoms any more.
Factors that increase risk of TB are travelling to a place with high rate of TB, patients with weakened immune system (for
