Tuberculosis Table of Contents Introduction.......�

Introduction.......................................2

Epidemiology.......................................2

Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology...................2

Clinical Presentation..............................4

Diagnosis..........................................6

Treatment..........................................6

Summary............................................7

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).

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rculosis) usually comes from pulmonary tuberculosis that has spread throughout the bloodstream. Clinical Presentation: The first symptoms of tuberculosis are usually a cough and a feeling of not being well (1:887). The cough may produce a small amount of green or yellow sputum in the morning, which usually increases as the disease progresses. Eventually the sputum may be streaked with blood. 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, th

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