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| Making Sense of Health, Safety and Related Issues. | ||
Making Sense of ... Tuberculosis | |
What is tuberculosis?Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary tuberculosis), but other systems can be affected, including the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, circulatory system, the skeletal system and the genitourinary system. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the form of the disease that presents by far the greater risk, as it is highly infectious - spread by airborne droplets - and this article will be confined to this form of the disease. Where is tuberculosis usually found?Tuberculosis is endemic throughout the world - the World Health Organization has estimated that a third of the world's population are living with tuberculosis. As person to person spread is the usual route of transmission, the disease has become associated with poverty, overcrowding, poor living conditions; a predominantly urban disease. Advances in medicine, such as the survival of many people with auto-immune conditions - and low resistance to infection - has created a new group of people who are highly susceptible to the disease; there are many cases of such individuals catching the infection while in hospital. In recent years, the emergence of drug-resistant forms of the disease has further complicated the situation, and means that the general risk of infection is rising. How common is tuberculosis?Over one third of the world's population probably carris the bacterium; but not all these people will develop full-blown tuberculosis. Up to nine out of ten carriers of asymptomatic tuberculosis (latent infection) will not develop active disease. But of those who do go on to 'active' disease, over half will die if the disease is untreated. In 2004, almost fifteen million people had active tuberculosis; nine million new infections were diagnosed, and almost two million people died, mostly in developing countries. How is tuberculosis transmitted?Tuberculosis is spread by droplets which are expelled when an infected person exhales (including cough, sneezes, and speaking), and another person inhales the bacteria. There is only a risk with open pulmonary tuberculosis, when the infected person has the bacteria in their sputum. Who is most at risk?People living in high-density housing, institutions (such as prisons). People with reduced immunity, such as those living with HIV, are at serious risk. People living in poverty are at greater risk because of the greater likelihood of contact with untreated disease, plus a likelihood of general ill health with lower resistance to infection. What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?A persistent cough is often an early sign. it isusually a 'moist' cough, often large amounts of phlegm. Blood staining may occur early, and significant blood with expectoration is a coomon feature of more advanced disease. As the disease spreads into the lymphatic system, there may be swollen glands, especially in the neck. Tiredness and listlessness are common, usually accompanied by a loss of appetite. Severe weight loss is a featrure of TB. Night sweats may be profuse. Pain on breathing in may occur; this is caused by infection of the membranes surrounding the lungs (pleurisy). Before the disease process was fully understood, TB was known
as consumption; as the disease could accurately be described as consuming
the sufferer. What are the long term effects of tuberculosis?
What is the mortality rate for tuberculosis?
How is tuberculosis diagnosed?
Is there a treatment for tuberculosis?
Is there a way to prevent infection?
What is the tuberculosis vaccine?
What is the protocol for tuberculosis vaccination?
Who should get vaccinated against tuberculosis?
Are there adverse reactions to the tuberculosis vaccine?
Can tuberculosis be controlled environmentally?
Is there legal protection for workers and others?
What can be learned from history?
Where can I get more information about tuberculosis?I regret I cannot assist with individual cases or essays and school projects, but if it's something I've missed, I'll be happy to try and help. © Andrew Heenan January 2006 | |
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12 May 2008 | 
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is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License |