Informative Essay On Tuberculosis Research Papers
Tuberculosis (TB): A Worldwide Epidemic
Iliana Roller
Gateway Community College
DMI 222 – Advanced Radiographic Pathology
One third of the world’s population is infected with Tuberculosis (TB) making this disease one of the most serious global health problems existing today. TB is especially dangerous for people that have weaken immune systems and is one of the top leading causes of death worldwide; ranking alongside the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (World Health Organization (WHO), 2015). In 2014 alone, 9.6 million people around the world became sick with TB disease and there were 1.5 million related deaths from the disease (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2015). Although new reported cases of the TB disease …show more content…
has declined by more than 50% in the past 20 years in the U.S., this disease remains highly contagious, and if not detected early and treated properly, may ultimately result in death.
TB and its Discovery
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not properly treated, the disease can be fatal (CDC, 2015).
After much debate over the past century, it has recently been firmly established that tuberculosis existed in the New World before the arrival of Columbus. However, it still remains uncertain how or when, precisely, the infection reached the Americas, how it spread from one continent to the other, and whether the pre-Columbian infection was caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis (Mackowiak, 2005).
Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, on March 24, 1882. During the time of this discovery, one out of seven people living in the United States were dying from TB. Dr. Koch’s discovery was the most important step taken toward the control and elimination of this deadly disease (CDC, 2015).
How TB is Spread/ not …show more content…
Spread
TB is an airborne disease that is typically spread by the coughing or sneezing of persons infected with TB of the lungs or throat. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. Although the disease is highly contagious, contrary to popular belief, TB cannot be contracted or spread by the following ways: sharing food or drink, shaking someone’s hand, touching bed linens or toilet seats, sharing toothbrushes, or kissing (CDC, 2014).
Latent TB Infection
Latent TB infection is when a person is infected with the TB bacteria, but does not become sick. In most people who become infected with the TB bacteria, their bodies are able to fight the bacteria and stop them from growing. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick and do not experience the symptoms associated with the TB disease such as: a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, no appetite, chills, fever, sweating at night. People simply diagnosed with latent TB infection cannot spread TB bacteria to others, however, if TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person may develop the TB disease (CDC, 2015).
Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. However, in some cases people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick years later when their immune system becomes weak for another reason (CDC, 2015).
TB Disease
TB Disease is when the bacteria become active and multiply in your body, and the immune system can’t stop them from multiplying. The risk factors associated with developing the disease include: having HIV infection, having recently been infected with the TB bacteria, having other health problems (ex. diabetes) that make it hard for the body to fight bacteria, abusing alcohol or using illegal drugs, or not being treated correctly for the TB disease in the pat. People with TB disease are sick. They may also be able to spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day (CDC, 2015).
Testing for TB
There are two kinds of test used to determine if a person has been infected with TB bacteria: the tuberculin skin test and TB blood tests.
Tuberculin Skin Test
The TB skin test (also called the Mantoux tuberculin skin test) is performed by injecting a small amount of fluid (called tuberculin) under the skin in the lower part of the arm. After 48 to 72 hours, a trained health care worker will look for a reaction on the arm. He or she will look for a raised, hard area or swelling, and if present, measure its size using a ruler. Redness by itself is not considered part of the reaction. If the health care worker determines the skin test to be positive, additional tests will be needed to determine if the person has latent TB infection or TB disease (CDC, 2015).
TB Blood Tests TB blood tests (also called interferon-gamma release assays or IGRAs) measure how the immune system reacts to the bacteria that cause TB. The person’s blood is tested in a lab and the IGRA measures the strength of the reaction between the immune system and the TB bacteria. Similar to the skin test, if the blood tests return positive, additional tests will be needed to determine if the person has latent TB infection or TB disease (CDC,
2015).
Radiographic Appearance on a Chest X-ray
A chest x-ray may be ordered to rule out the possibility of pulmonary TB on a patient who has no symptoms of the disease, but had a positive reaction to the tuberculin skin test. However, abnormalities on a chest x-ray may be suggestive of the disease, but cannot be a definite diagnosis. During Primary tuberculosis (occurs in persons who have never had the disease before) a routine chest x-ray may demonstrate a hilar enlargement, along with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, small focal spot lesions in the lungs, and a possible unilateral pleural effusion (Bontrager, 2014). During a Secondary tuberculosis (reactivation of organisms from previously dormant tubercles) a radiograph of the chest will demonstrate irregular calcifications that are mottled in appearance on both upper lobes of the lungs. Upward retraction of the hila is frequently evident. To better visualize the calcifications and cavitations of the apices and upper lobes, an AP lordotic projection may be requested in addition to a routine chest x-ray (Bontrager, 2014).
Treatment for TB
Latent TB Treatment
Although the majority of people who have Latent TB infection generally do not become sick, as a precaution of being infected with the TB disease if the bacteria would happen to multiply, they may be prescribed the following medications: isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), or rifapentine (RPT) (CDC, 2015).
TB Disease Treatment There are 10 drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating TB. Of the approved drugs, the first-line anti-TB agents that form the core of treatment regimens include: isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide (PZA). Regimens for treating TB disease have an initial phase of 2 months, followed by a choice of several options for the continuation phase of either 4 or 7 months (total of 6 to 9 months for treatment) (CDC, 2015). As stated earlier, Tuberculosis is a highly contagious airborne disease that is spread by simply sneezing and coughing. If not detected and treated in a timely manner, this disease can be fatal. It is the responsibility of everyone to be tested for this disease often in order to treat, and battle the spreading of this deadly disease, and hopefully eradicate it entirely in the future. Remember, in order for a person to be accurately diagnosed as being infected or not infected with the TB disease, they must have a positive skin test followed by a chest x-ray.
Iliana Roller
Gateway Community College
DMI 222 – Advanced Radiographic Pathology
One third of the world’s population is infected with Tuberculosis (TB) making this disease one of the most serious global health problems existing today. TB is especially dangerous for people that have weaken immune systems and is one of the top leading causes of death worldwide; ranking alongside the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (World Health Organization (WHO), 2015). In 2014 alone, 9.6 million people around the world became sick with TB disease and there were 1.5 million related deaths from the disease (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2015). Although new reported cases of the TB disease …show more content…
has declined by more than 50% in the past 20 years in the U.S., this disease remains highly contagious, and if not detected early and treated properly, may ultimately result in death.
TB and its Discovery
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not properly treated, the disease can be fatal (CDC, 2015).
After much debate over the past century, it has recently been firmly established that tuberculosis existed in the New World before the arrival of Columbus. However, it still remains uncertain how or when, precisely, the infection reached the Americas, how it spread from one continent to the other, and whether the pre-Columbian infection was caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis (Mackowiak, 2005).
Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, on March 24, 1882. During the time of this discovery, one out of seven people living in the United States were dying from TB. Dr. Koch’s discovery was the most important step taken toward the control and elimination of this deadly disease (CDC, 2015).
How TB is Spread/ not …show more content…
Spread
TB is an airborne disease that is typically spread by the coughing or sneezing of persons infected with TB of the lungs or throat. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. Although the disease is highly contagious, contrary to popular belief, TB cannot be contracted or spread by the following ways: sharing food or drink, shaking someone’s hand, touching bed linens or toilet seats, sharing toothbrushes, or kissing (CDC, 2014).
Latent TB Infection
Latent TB infection is when a person is infected with the TB bacteria, but does not become sick. In most people who become infected with the TB bacteria, their bodies are able to fight the bacteria and stop them from growing. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick and do not experience the symptoms associated with the TB disease such as: a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, no appetite, chills, fever, sweating at night. People simply diagnosed with latent TB infection cannot spread TB bacteria to others, however, if TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person may develop the TB disease (CDC, 2015).
Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. However, in some cases people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick years later when their immune system becomes weak for another reason (CDC, 2015).
TB Disease
TB Disease is when the bacteria become active and multiply in your body, and the immune system can’t stop them from multiplying. The risk factors associated with developing the disease include: having HIV infection, having recently been infected with the TB bacteria, having other health problems (ex. diabetes) that make it hard for the body to fight bacteria, abusing alcohol or using illegal drugs, or not being treated correctly for the TB disease in the pat. People with TB disease are sick. They may also be able to spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day (CDC, 2015).
Testing for TB
There are two kinds of test used to determine if a person has been infected with TB bacteria: the tuberculin skin test and TB blood tests.
Tuberculin Skin Test
The TB skin test (also called the Mantoux tuberculin skin test) is performed by injecting a small amount of fluid (called tuberculin) under the skin in the lower part of the arm. After 48 to 72 hours, a trained health care worker will look for a reaction on the arm. He or she will look for a raised, hard area or swelling, and if present, measure its size using a ruler. Redness by itself is not considered part of the reaction. If the health care worker determines the skin test to be positive, additional tests will be needed to determine if the person has latent TB infection or TB disease (CDC, 2015).
TB Blood Tests TB blood tests (also called interferon-gamma release assays or IGRAs) measure how the immune system reacts to the bacteria that cause TB. The person’s blood is tested in a lab and the IGRA measures the strength of the reaction between the immune system and the TB bacteria. Similar to the skin test, if the blood tests return positive, additional tests will be needed to determine if the person has latent TB infection or TB disease (CDC,
2015).
Radiographic Appearance on a Chest X-ray
A chest x-ray may be ordered to rule out the possibility of pulmonary TB on a patient who has no symptoms of the disease, but had a positive reaction to the tuberculin skin test. However, abnormalities on a chest x-ray may be suggestive of the disease, but cannot be a definite diagnosis. During Primary tuberculosis (occurs in persons who have never had the disease before) a routine chest x-ray may demonstrate a hilar enlargement, along with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, small focal spot lesions in the lungs, and a possible unilateral pleural effusion (Bontrager, 2014). During a Secondary tuberculosis (reactivation of organisms from previously dormant tubercles) a radiograph of the chest will demonstrate irregular calcifications that are mottled in appearance on both upper lobes of the lungs. Upward retraction of the hila is frequently evident. To better visualize the calcifications and cavitations of the apices and upper lobes, an AP lordotic projection may be requested in addition to a routine chest x-ray (Bontrager, 2014).
Treatment for TB
Latent TB Treatment
Although the majority of people who have Latent TB infection generally do not become sick, as a precaution of being infected with the TB disease if the bacteria would happen to multiply, they may be prescribed the following medications: isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), or rifapentine (RPT) (CDC, 2015).
TB Disease Treatment There are 10 drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating TB. Of the approved drugs, the first-line anti-TB agents that form the core of treatment regimens include: isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide (PZA). Regimens for treating TB disease have an initial phase of 2 months, followed by a choice of several options for the continuation phase of either 4 or 7 months (total of 6 to 9 months for treatment) (CDC, 2015). As stated earlier, Tuberculosis is a highly contagious airborne disease that is spread by simply sneezing and coughing. If not detected and treated in a timely manner, this disease can be fatal. It is the responsibility of everyone to be tested for this disease often in order to treat, and battle the spreading of this deadly disease, and hopefully eradicate it entirely in the future. Remember, in order for a person to be accurately diagnosed as being infected or not infected with the TB disease, they must have a positive skin test followed by a chest x-ray.