Modern Treatment of Tuberculosis - Essay Example

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The germs of TB known as bacilli, enter into the air when a TB patient sneezes, talks, or spits. This way the germs can enter another healthy person’s body during inhalation. But it is also to be remembered that not all types of tuberculosis are infectious. It is only the TB of the lungs that spreads like the common cold to other people. A couple of decades ago, TB was considered a dreaded disease, as there was no cure for it, but now TB is fully curable, provided it can be detected in time. The modern lifestyle and how we treat our environment are stated to be the biggest reasons for the emergence of newer cases of Tuberculosis.

The latest WHO report on the disease indicates that there were an estimated 9.2 million new cases of TB in 2006. The danger of infection keeps growing if the disease is left untreated. The micro-bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis is known as the most prominent one causing the disease. Starting from the lungs, gradually the disease can spread even to the central nervous system if it remains untreated for a longer period. Some other micro-bacteria causing the disease include; Mycobacterium microti, Mycobacterium canetti, Mycobacterium africanum, and Mycobacterium bovis.

A weaker immune system helps in the easier entry of germs inside the human body. Prolonged coughing, coughing up blood, chest pain, and fever are some of the common symptoms of the disease, but it has also been found that sometimes, the immune system, ‘walls off’ the TB bacilli, which can help the bacteria to lie dormant for years. In such cases, the person needs to initiate medication for preventing the TB from becoming active. And if the infected person is not treated for longer periods, the chances of spreading the disease to a healthy person increase. Such prolongation can also result in other complications. Therefore it is advised that a person must consult the doctor if the following symptoms are found:
- A bad cough lasting for about 3 weeks or longer,
- The person suffers from undue and unintended weight losses,
- Coughing up continues for a longer period or blood oozes out during coughing,
- Persons suffers from weakness or fatigue,
- If there is a prolonged fever,
- There are symptoms of Night sweats.

White blood cells, though accounting for less than 1 percent of total blood volume, play a key role in strengthening the immune system of our body. The blood comprises six kinds of white blood cells namely: Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils, Monocytes, Macrophages, and Lymphocytes. Each of them has a specific role in strengthening the defense mechanism of the human body. Monocytes are the most important WBC types playing a leading role in preventing Tuberculosis (Nagel and Frey, 2007). With the help of a process called phagocytosis, Monocytes and Macrophages help in protecting the body by engulfing and digesting the bacteria, dead cells, or other similar foreign matter. TB can in general be divided into primary and secondary TB. Primary Tuberculosis occurs in previously unexposed, un-sensitized people and such patients are in danger of developing a latent infection. ...Download file to see next pages Read More