Tuberculosis as a Serious Disease - Coursework Example

Tuberculosis; Exanimate or Revivification 7th February Tuberculosis; Exanimate or Revivification Tuberculosis, commonly referred to as TB, is a communicable disease caused by a bacterium known as mycobacterium tuberculosis. The historical timeline of tuberculosis extends as far back as 15, 000 years when humanity began recording its history. The evidence of tuberculosis in human has been found in Egyptian mummies dating back to 2400-3400 B.C. Tuberculosis was found in the spines of these mummies (Ploubidis et al., 2012). Throughout the history timeline of the disease, it has been given different names even though it has always caused the same problems. In the Greek literature tuberculosis appeared under the term “Phthisis” which means consumption. This term Phthisis was identified and used by Hippocrates, a Greek physical around 460 B.C. He described the disease as the most widespread at the time and that it was fatal (Brosch et al., 2002). In the 18th and 19th centuries, TB reached epidemic levels in North America and Europe a situation that earned it the name “Captain”. Arguably, tuberculosis has claimed more lives in the known history of humanity than any other disease. Scientific advances concerning TB began in the seventeenth century where medical journals explained the Pathological and Anatomical aspects of the disease (Gibbons, 2001). Shortly after, scientists discovered the pathogen that causes TB and the development of new medication. Later on, a vaccine known as Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) was developed and it has helped reduce prevalence of the disease. With the advancement in modern medication, the disease is no longer a big threat to humanity in most countries. Nonetheless, there has been an unfortunate resurgence of tuberculosis in most impoverished nations of the world (Roberts & Buikstra, 2003). Tuberculosis was first discovered in spines of Egyptian mummies, which date back to 2400 B.C. arguably, this is the oldest known case of TB. In the better part of recorded human history, tuberculosis was known by the name consumption a name earned following the encounter of infected persons whose lungs are almost literally consumed after which the person dies. During the early years when the disease was discovered, some physicians such as Hippocrates who gave the disease the name consumption wrote that there was no need for doctors to attend to patients suffering from consumption particularly those in the last stages, as they will certainly die (Brosch et al., 2002). The pathological and anatomical description of tuberculosis began to appear in the 17th century where Sylvius in his 1679 Opera Medica identified the abscesses, cavities, as well as tubercles as some of the consistent stages that consumptive patients went through. In the seventeenth century, scientists also discovered that tuberculosis was very contagious. Girolamo Tracastoro wrote that there were contagious particles in the clothing and bed sheets of consumptive patients. In 1699, the same sentiments appeared in the Italian medical literature warning people to be careful with objects used by consumptive patients (Gutierrez et al., 2005). By 1720 it was discovered that consumption disease could be caused by tiny living creatures transmitted through the air and that a person can contract tuberculosis by coming into contact with a TB patient. Despite the fact that scientist had achieved a number of breakthroughs in respect to tuberculosis in the seventeenth century, the disease continued to pose a very big threat to the human race until mid 19th century when it was discovered that tuberculosis could be cured (Daniel, 2000). When tuberculosis was discovered, it was a new phenomenon in the society and was regarded as a killer disease. The disease did not have a cure and therefore death was inevitable among tuberculosis patients. The society view towards tuberculosis was that the disease would consume an infected person until that person dies (Kapur et al.,1994). Thus, the name consumptive was given to patients suffering from TB a name used to explain literally, what the disease did to a patient. Today tuberculosis commonly referred to as TB is classified as an air-borne or communicable disease because it can be spread from an individual who is infected to an uninfected person or from human to an animal. Through scientific research is has been proven that the causative agent of TB is a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This bacterium is transmitted from an infected individual through tiny respiratory droplets (Gutierrez et al., 2005). These respiratory droplets can be found in infected person’s cough or sneeze. Tuberculosis affects the lungs. This kind of tuberculosis is referred as pulmonary tuberculosis. However, the disease also affects other parts of the body such as the joints, brain, the kidneys, lymph nodes, as well as bone. In this case, the disease is referred to as extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Even though TB is curable, it can be fatal if not treated appropriately (Gibbons, 2001). A person infected with extra-pulmonary TB cannot infect other people with the disease. However, an individual with TB infections in the throat or lungs can infect other individuals. It is also worth noting that an individual who is infected with TB but who has latent (inactive) TB cannot transmit the disease to another person (Roberts & Buikstra, 2003). Perception and viewpoint of tuberculosis is in modern society is that the disease is preventable and once infected; it is curable if properly treated. The modern society understands that the disease is highly infectious especially when an infected person has active TB (Nerlich et al.,1997). With the understanding of the disease, the modern society is very cautious to prevent the spread of tuberculosis among infants and thus majority of people ensure that their children are given BCG vaccine for prevention purposes (Webber, 2009). Though tuberculosis continues to cause a number of deaths, it is no longer the dreaded disease of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries following scientific advancement in the world today. Scientists have developed vaccine for purposes of preventing Tuberculosis infection (Ploubidis et al., 2012). This vaccine is referred to as Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and was developed by Calmette a French bacteriologist. The tuberculosis vaccine is administered to those who are at a higher risk of developing tuberculosis especially among children. Individuals over the age of sixteen years old are rarely given BCG vaccination (Boutayeb, 2006). Mantoux test, blood tests are a combination of testes used in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Mantoux test (skin test) is test that entails injecting Purified Protein Derivative tuberculin (PPD) in small amounts in the forearm. After two to three days, observations are made in respect to the reaction of the injection. Positive results of tuberculosis infection can be confirmed when a red bump appears where PPD was injected. A blood test is carried out using a microscopic sputum analysis. This analysis establishes whether the body has Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Daniel, 2000). Tuberculosis is treatable if proper medication and therapy are administered. The first step is to isolate the patient for purpose of ensuring that the patient does not infect other people. After isolation, the patient should start a four-drug regimen in the preliminary empirical treatment of the disease. These four drugs include pyrazinamide, rifampin, isoniazid, and either streptomycin or ethambutol (Kapur et al.,1994). Baseline as well as periodic serum uric acid assessments are necessary for a tuberculosis patient receiving pyrazinamide while baseline and red-green color perception and periodic visual acuity assessment is necessary for those patients receiving ethambutol therapy for a longer period (Brosch et al., 2002). Admission of pyrazinamide can be discontinued after two months of therapy. The patient however continues receiving rifampin and Isoniazid for the next four months. In case there is resistance of Isoniazid the patient should be given rifampin, ethambutol, plus pyrazinamide and discontinue using  Isoniazid. Direct Observed Therapy is very important to ensure that patients do not miss even a sing dose. Another important aspect of treatment is monitoring. A sputum analysis for TB bacteria must be done on a weekly basis (Boutayeb, 2006). Drug resistance tuberculosis occurs when the bacteria causing the disease mutates or change in to a form that is immune to the drug being administered. The mutation of tubercle bacillus continues despite the fact that a patient is receiving medication this means that even though the predominant bacilli are killed by the drug, the mutated version of the bactatiria continue to thrive and multiply. One of the ways through which drug resistance can be solved is through administering a number of effective drugs at the same time (Brosch et al., 2002). This will ensure that even if the mutants are resistant to one drug they might not be resistant to all and therefore can be easily destroyed (Gibbons, 2001). Tuberculosis being a highly infectious disease, there are groups of people who are more vulnerable to the disease compared to others. Treatment of the disease in these specific populations is also very challenging because of the nature of the groups. Some of the specific populations that are at a risk of developing Tuberculosis infection are refugees, migrants, individual infected and living with HIV, people who are old, individuals with a weak immune system, people living in congested areas like slums, health professionals, and people with diabetes (Daniel, 2000). Refugees and immigrants are at a higher risk of developing tuberculosis infection because they are often overcrowded in a small area and they do not have access to medical services. As a result, a single person infected with tuberculosis can spread the disease to very many people within the refugee camp. Treating refugees may have a couple of challenges one of them being that they do not have access to quality medical services and especially those that a tuberculosis patient would require (Boutayeb, 2006). Another population group that is at a higher risk of developing tuberculosis is that of the people living with HIV. The immune system of this group of people is very weak and therefore susceptible to tuberculosis infection once exposed (Ploubidis et al., 2012). It is also very difficult to treat tuberculosis infections among people living with HIV because even the medication may not respond promptly as the immune system itself is very weak (Brosch et al., 2002). The importance of tuberculosis education on how to combat tuberculosis cannot be overemphasized. Tuberculosis is a highly infectious and fatal disease, and in the event that proper and immediate treatment is not sought, the ultimate result can be death (Nerlich et al.,1997). For these reasons, the society needs to be sensitized and informed of the existence of such a disease. Individuals and the society should appreciate the causes and effects of tuberculoses in order to avoid them and understand the symptoms associated with the disease. The awareness that tuberculosis can be prevented and treated if infected may provide the society with valuable lesson on how to stay safe or when to seek medical attention (Boutayeb, 2006). Understanding the causes of tuberculosis can go help in reducing the number of new infections in the population in the sense that once an individual who is infected appreciates that he or she can spread the disease to other uninfected individual he can seek immediate medical attention and avoid public places where he is likely to infect others. Those who are not infected on the other hand can be able to prevent the spread of tuberculoses by minimizing their contact with infected persons and avoiding being in places where the risk of infection is high (Daniel, 2000). Over the years, scientists have made serious and indeed successful attempts to develop a vaccine and a cure for Tuberculosis, the disease has continued to claim many lives especially in poor nations. There is therefore a need for further trials and research for purposes of developing effective drugs that can be able to prevent this dreadful disease or a medication that can be able to treat it without developing resistance. Most importantly, adequate research need to be done for purposes of finding the most appropriate ways of supplying enough medication to impoverished parts of the world, which are more affected by tuberculosis epidemic (Boutayeb, 2006). Scientist with the support of the world government should undertake research on how tuberculosis can be finally eliminated. With the advancement in medical research and technology, scientists are at a better position than ever before to develop a vaccine that can be able to prevent an individual from contracting tuberculosis (Daniel, 2000). Even though the BCG vaccine works effectively in preventing Tuberculosis infection for ten years a better vaccine, need to be developed to protect a person in his or her entire life (Gutierrez et al., 2005). Tuberculosis has a long history that can be traced back thousands of years ago. The disease was first discovered in the spines of Egyptian mummies, the Greek physicians later developed the name consumption to describe the disease. During the 17th century, scientists made incredible discoveries about tuberculoses. Nonetheless, the disease continued to claim many lives until 19th century when a cure for the disease was developed. A vaccine was later developed which is used up to date for purposes of immunization. Currently scientific advancement has enabled doctors to effective treat TB using a combination of drugs. Further research is needed for purposes of developing a more effective treatment for the disease, which would take a shorter period than the current one. References Boutayeb A. (2006). The double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in developing countries. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 100, 191–99. Brosch, R., et al. (2002). A new evolutionary scenario for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Proc Natl Acad Sci, 99 (2), 3684–3689 Daniel T.M. (2000). The origins and pre-colonial epidemiology of tuberculosis in the Americas: can we figure them out? Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 4, 395–400. Gibbons, A. (2001). Modern men trace ancestry to African migrants JScience, 292, 1051–1052. Gutierrez, M.C., et al. (2005) Ancient origin and gene mosaicism of the progenitor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PloS Pathog, 1 (1), 5-83. Kapur, V., et al. (1994). Is Mycobacterium tuberculosis 15,000 years old? J Infect Dis, 170, 1348–1349. . Nerlich, A.G., et al. (1997). Molecular evidence for tuberculosis in an ancient Egyptian mummy Lancet, 350 (7), 1404. Ploubidis GB, et al. (2012). Social determinants of tuberculosis in Europe: a prospective ecological study. Eur Resp J, 40: 925–30. Roberts, C.A. & Buikstra J.E. (2003). The bioarchaeology of tuberculosis. A global view on a reemerging disease. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press. Webber, R. (2009). Communicable disease epidemiology and control: a global perspective. New York: CABI publishers. Read More