preview

Tuberculosis : An Infectious Disease

Decent Essays

Tuberculosis

Tubercle bacillus, more commonly known as Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that is contagious and airborne. TB is in many cases fatal, infectious disease caused by the strains of mycobacteria. Tuberculosis will typically infect the lungs, but is capable of spreading to other parts of the body. An infected individual can spread the infection by coughing, sneezing, laughing or otherwise transmit of respiratory fluids through the air. Tuberculosis ranks as the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, after the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 1012, 8.6 million people fell ill with TB, including 1.1 million cases from individuals living with HIV. Within the same year, 1.3 million people died …show more content…

This is unlike active TB, which is an individual that has the TB disease and is sick and has the potential to spread the disease to others.
Etiology is known as the study of the cause of a disease and Pathogenesis can be defined at the origination and development of a disease. Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is cased by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is spread from person to person through airborne particles or microscopic droplets released into the air. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a slow-growing bacterium that can only live in people and needs oxygen to survive. Spread of TB can happen when someone with untreated and active TB coughs, speaks, sneezes or spits. While tuberculosis is contagious it is not very easy to catch. However, if it does get in your system one of three things can happen when it enters the human body; the bacterium can be destroyed if the body has a strong immune system, the bacterium enters the body and remains latent, or the person becomes ill with TB. About 90% of those infected with TB are asymptomatic with latent TB infections. The primary site for TB infection is in the lungs and may occur via infection from the blood stream. About 90% of TB is actually found in the lungs (Hayes).
Tuberculosis is a disease that anybody can get, but there are certain factors that can increase the chances of you getting this disease. People with a healthy immune system are most likely able to fight off the

Get Access