Tuberculosis Case Study Essay

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most lethal infectious disease among worldwide. This disease is known as white plague and as infected individuals for centuries. It was not until the mid 1800s that people discovered that the mode of transmission was spread from person to person, and not hereditary.1 During this time scientists found that TB was contagious and was caused by a specific bacterium. Although, treatment for TB would be introduced over 50 years later, and people who suffered with TB would usually die in their home. After drug therapy was established the rates of TB declined considerably. The reduced rates of TB only lasted until the 1980s where public health efforts did not have enough funding to manage TB programs.1 In 2013 the reported number of individuals who acquired TB was approximately 9 million with 1.5 million cases resulting in death from the disease.2,3 While TB is found in all areas of the the world of those who developed TB in 2013 more that 50% was located in Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions.2 TB is a global health burden with a high death rates given that most TB deaths can be prevented. The Millennium Development Goals aim to contest the TB epidemic with strategies to address multi-drug resistance, strengthen healthcare systems, empower people with TB, and also promote research. These strategies are proposed to decrease incidence rates worldwide, but as of 2015 incidence is decreasing gradually.4 One reason for gradual decreasing rate of TB in populations is caused to new cases of multidrug resistant TB (MD-TB). Some populations suffer with higher rates of MD-TB resistance and suboptimal treatment options.2 People who do not complete TB treatment can evolve and circulate strains that are MD-TB resistant. New case rates of MD-TB worldwide have not decreased from 3.5% in recent years.2 Of the individuals developing TB there is nearly 13% who are also HIV positive. These two determinants make TB the largest fatal infectious disease in the world. The global case fatality rate for TB was 23% and also exceeded 50% in various African countries who also had high HIV rates.6 Incident cases of TB in 2011 were approximately 8.7 million globally with the largest concentration in India and China.3 Prevalent cases in the year 2011 were estimated at 12 million which had decreased since the 1990s.3 Mortality rates in 2011 we approximately 1.4 million people where HIV associated with TB is causing rates to rise.3 TB is an infectious disease that is transmitted through the air from one person to another. TB bacteria gets into the air by a person who has been exposed to the TB disease coughs, sneezes, or speaks. A person who has not been exposed to the TB disease then may breath in the TB bacteria and become infected as shown in (figure 1).1,5 Individuals may believe that infections could come by shaking a persons hand, sharing food or drink, or kissing, but these methods of exposure do not transmit TB bacteria.5 TB bacteria are called mycobacteria which can also cause other types of diseases. Most TB cases are caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis.1 TB is observed in more severity in developing countries who also encounter poverty affecting young adults during their productive years.3 TB is most common in the elderly, impoverished, malnourished, or immunocompromised individuals.8 TB can also live in the body without making an individual sick or develop symptoms. Individuals with latent TB infections who are asymptomatic cannot spread the disease to others. 1,5 M.tuberculosis to others while in the latent stage even though they may never develop TB.5 The TB bacteria are in the body, but the immune …show more content…
These tests are the tuberculin skin test (Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test) and TB blood tests(Interferon-Gamma Release Assay). These two test cannot determine if a person is in the latent period or if they have developed TB.5 Treatment used for TB include a six to nine month series of antibiotic drugs such as isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol with more being presented if the TB is multidrug resistant.5,7 It is extremely important that individuals take the prescribed drugs as specified so that TB will not become resistant.5 There is currently a vaccine called M. bovis (BCG) that is being used in different countries to try and promote immunity, but the efficacy of this vaccine is