Tuberculosis Research Paper

Words: 1282
Pages: 6

Tuberculosis, also known as TB, has been a known disease for an extensive period of time. TB has been found in Egyptian mummies at least 5,400 years old (1). Tuberculosis is known as an infectious bacterial disease characterized by the growth of nodules or tubercles in tissues, such as the lungs. It is caused by bacteria that is spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air (2). TB is an airborne pathogen, meaning that the bacteria that causes TB can spread through the air from person to person. This exchange could happen from a sneeze, cough, or spit from someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis. Also, speaking, laughing or singing with an infected person can cause the spread of the disease. …show more content…
It mostly affects the lungs, although it can also affect other organs such as the kidneys and heart (3). Mycobacterium, a type of germ, is a genus of Actinobacteria, and given its own family, the Mycobacteriaceae (4). The genus includes pathogens known to cause serious diseases in mammals. The Greek prefix myco- means "fungus," alluding to the way mycobacteria have been observed to grow in a mold-like fashion on the surface of cultures (4). This bacteria can develop a resistance to antibiotics that fail to kill them completely and the disease will continue to develop. In this stage, TB can either be active or latent, where no symptoms occur, and the condition cannot be passed on …show more content…
It also has some interesting facts. Tobacco use has been found to increase the risk of developing active TB with more than 20% of TB cases worldwide attributable to smoking (3). Also, Tuberculosis is among the top 3 causes of death for women aged 15 to 44. Statistics show that in 2012, 1.3 million people were believed to have died because of tuberculosis with an estimated 8.6 million new cases of TB worldwide (3). The World Health Organization estimates that 9 million people a year get sick with TB, with 3 million of these being “missed” by health systems (2).
Compromised immune systems are the primary means of detaining tuberculosis. Since the 1980s, the number of cases of tuberculosis has increased dramatically because of the spread of HIV (2). Infection with HIV suppresses the immune system, making it difficult for the body to control TB bacteria. As a result, people with HIV are 26-31 times more likely to get TB and to progress from latent to active disease than are people who aren't HIV positive