Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a contagious, potentially fatal infection by the airborne bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. bovis, or M. africanum. This paper will look at the disease, its epidemiology, pathogenesis and pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment.

Introduction: Tuberculosis refers to the disease most commonly caused by M. tuberculosis, but occasionally caused by M. bovis or M. africanum. Tuberculosis has been around since ancient times and became a major scourge during the Industrial Revolution, when overcrowding in cities was common (1:885). With the development of the antibiotics streptomycin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and rifampin, the battle against the disease was almost won. The occurrence of tuberculosis began to rise again in the U.S. in the 1980s because of AIDS, combined with overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in urban areas, homeless shelters, and prisons. The problem is worrisome now because some strains of the bacteria have become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the disease (1:886).

Epidemiology: Tuberculosis is more common among the elderly because: many elderly persons became infected when tuberculosis was more common; aging may reduce the effectiveness of the body's immune system, which can allow dormant bacteria to become reactivated; and elderly people in chronic care facilities are likely to be in close contact with other elderly people at risk of contracting tuberculosis.

The disease is also more common in blacks tha

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One of the most common symptoms is awakening in the night drenched with a cold sweat caused by the subsiding of a low-grade fever. Shortness of breath may signal the presence of air (pneumothorax) or fluid (pleural effusion) in the pleural space. About 95 percent of pleural effusions in young adults are caused by a recent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and need to be recognized as such so that they do not progress to full-blown tuberculosis (1:888). In a new infection, the bacteria travel from the lesion in the lung to the draining lymph nodes. The kidney and bones are the most common sites for extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Tuberculosis in the kidneys may produce few symptoms, but the infection may destroy part of the kidney (1:888). Tuberculosis can then spread to the bladder where it causes few symptoms. In men, the infection may also spread to the prostate, seminal vesicles, and epididymis, producing a lump in the scrotum. In women, tuberculosis can scar the ovaries and fallopian tubes, causing sterility. From the ovaries, the infection may spread to the peritoneum. Symptoms of this condition may vary from fatigue and vague stomach pain excruciating pain that resembles appendicitis. The infection may spread

Category: Medical - T