preview

Tuberculosis : An Infectious Disease

Good Essays

Introduction

Tuberculosis, simply referred to as TB, is an infectious disease predominantly affecting the lungs.1 TB is manifested in parts of the body that are rich in both blood and oxygen. As such, the infection may also be present in the spine, brain and kidneys.2The specific bacterium responsible for causing TB is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, also referred to as Tubercle Bacillus. Robert Koch demonstrated this discovery in his 1882 publication on TB.3 The transmission of TB occurs through the passage of microscopic droplets through the air as a result of an actively infected person spitting, sneezing, coughing, or even speaking.4
In many instances, individuals are infected with TB yet display no symptoms. This is termed Latent TB …show more content…

Of the 9 million people who contracted TB in 2013, over 56% were from the South-East Asian and Western Pacific regions. Roughly 25% were from Africa, the region with the highest number of cases and deaths in relation to population size. The two countries with the highest number of incidences are India and China, with roughly 2-2.5 million and 0.9-1.1 million new cases each year, respectively.7 Men are the most affected by TB, accounting for around 60% of all cases and deaths. Of the 2013 TB-related deaths, approximately 510 000 were women and 80 000 were children.6
Although anyone is susceptible to infection, there are certain factors that make people more likely to contract TB and develop the disease; these are referred to as ‘risk factors.’ Such factors are important in explaining differences in incidence and mortality rates across regions. Around 5-10% of infectious cases that go untreated will eventually see the infected person develop the disease.1 Individuals with immunosuppressive conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, are faced with weakened immune systems and thus are subject to increased risks of infection and disease.4 HIV coinfection is widely considered the most lethal risk factor for developing TB Disease; 13% of the individuals that developed the disease

Get Access