Tuberculosis: 150 Million-Year-Old Disease With Lasting Social Effects - Research Paper

Introduction

Tuberculosis is an infectious and contagious disease. In the course of human history, it is categorized as a permanent challenge with the mycobacterium tuberculosis having detrimental social effects. It has been theorized that more than 150 million year ago. The genus Mycobacterium originated, and for the first time in 1720, an English physician named Benjamin Marten conjectured the infectious origin of Tuberculosis (World Health Organization, 2010). It resulted in numerous discovery of remedy against Tuberculosis. Hence, it led to the invention of anti-tuberculous drugs and tuberculin skin tests and vaccines like Albert Calmette.

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The main point to consider is Tuberculosis is a public health crisis reappearing in many states. Therefore if not highly considered an emerging illness, then it's a significant disease that is reemerging. Around the globe each year, not only do we have millions die, but approximately 1.9 billion get infected (World Health Organization, 2010). TB is a reemerging disease, and in the past decade has seen the rise in infected persons due to the recent increase in populations' migrations (Navin, McNabb & Crawford, 2002). Also, regions like Asia or sub-Saharan Africa have a high prevalence of HIV; thus, a number have low immunity caused by poverty or social deprivation. It makes them more vulnerable, therefore at risk of contracting the disease.

Universal Impact of Tuberculosis

Worldwide TB occurs everywhere; however, in the recent year 2017, significant new cases of TB were in Western Pacific regions and South-East Asia. According to statistics by WHO, the new TB cases were 62% with also 25% new cases from Africa (World Health Organization, 2010). Consequently, in 30 high TB burden countries in 2017, even 87% of new cases of TB were reported (World Health Organization, 2010). A few of the states were the Philippines, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, and Bangladesh.

How is TB Transmitted and Its Incubation Period

TB is transmitted when persons breathe in the bacteria in the air that cause TB. In most cases, TB is passed on through the air, when a person infected releases the bacteria and another breathes the same contracted air. A person with TB many talk, cough, or sneeze; thus, the droplets with the bacteria get into the air. Research sources point out, TB is transmitted in many ways:

• By kissing
• By skin contact like people shaking hands
• By touching a toilet seat
• Through water or food
• Sharing of a toothbrush
• Clothing
• Or hugging an infected individual

TB incubation period varies from two to 12 weeks. In this case, one may still be contagious for a while, all in all with the viable TB bacteria existing in sputum. The individual can always be infectious up to when they acquire the right therapy for many weeks. Although some remain infected, the infection tends to suppress developing signs years later. In other cases, some do not develop symptoms at all or even do not become infectious.

Treatment for Tuberculosis

Treatment varies depending on the TB type of infection or mycobacterial drug sensitivity. Latent TB is treated using anti-TB drugs in four conflicting schedules. The anti-TB drugs are rifampin (RIF; Rifadin), isoniazid (INH), and rifapentine (RPT; Priftin). All TB drugs follow the CDC's four recommended schedules to a patient type of TB and overall health. In treating active TB, the first-line medications used are RIF, INH, EMB (ethambutol) and pyrazinamide (World Health Organization, 2010). In treating drug-resistant or multi-drug-resistant TB, it may be complicated, and such patients use second-line medication. The CDC recommends again for such patients with infections to seek treatment from infectious-disease PR actioners. From the kind of specialist, they would ensure such patients get multiple approaches involving variable treatment schedules and other anti-TB drugs. Research shows there are still different treatment schedules and new drugs under development, thereby awaiting approval by the FDA (World Health Organization, 2010). Besides, the infectious-disease specialist tends to be ad versant with the newest treatments that may seem fit for individual patients. For instance, in the treatment of MDR TB, bedaquiline (Sirturo) drug is approved. Consequently, also studies with an antimicrobial drug, referred to as moxifloxacin indicates it may assist in treating protocols.

The Role of Vaccines in Combating TB

TB control has most cases called for drug combination; however, a critical component in battling it currently is vaccinations. The commonly used vaccine globally but not in the U.S is bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG). The vaccine works to protect childhood types of TB but not in adults who have a highly spreadable pulmonary kind of TB. It points back to the main idea of the reemergence of TB following the ineffectiveness of the BCG vaccine. In different locations also, the variable effects of this vaccine are noticeable. They are linked to the difference in levels of background immunity caused by vulnerability to mycobacteria in the surroundings.

In summary, the role of vaccines is likely to be higher in instances where drug treatment approaches have been less efficient. However, in areas of the vast spread of the reemerging disease, it is vital to protect the infected in the phase of elimination by controlling TB. Therefore, to fight TB, there is a pressing need for discovering better and new vaccines.

The Predicted Prognosis of Recovery and Residual Effect of TB

A patient contracting Tuberculosis has a probability of transmitting the disease to people close. However, to ensure one leads a healthy life after the infection, then one must endure taking the drugs prescribed regularly. The medications will provide a complete cure and avoid the reemergence of the disease. Apart from that, they also avoid spreading the virus to others. Full recovery with proper treatment is achievable in following the prescribed drugs regimen; thus, its significance cannot be exaggerated (World Health Organization, 2010). Significant causes of treatment failure tend to be linked to noncompliance with medication therapy. The residual effect of TB is that when a patient lacks treatment, it makes the disease progress. After that, it results in disability and ultimately, death.

Conclusion

Worldwide TB is among one of the ten causes of likely deaths. The history of TB is over 150 million years ago when the mycobacterium bacteria was discovered to affect the lungs. It is an illness preventable, curable however reemerging if not given the appropriate remedy. TB is contagious through the air; in instances an infected person with lung TB either talks or coughs. It propels the TB bacteria to the atmosphere leading to new infections. Globally statistics show Africa countries to have exceptional new cases of TB infections. Treatments involve antimicrobial or first-line drugs prescribed by a health worker with supervision and adequate support to the patient for a full recovery. In combatting TB, vaccines like BCG play a role, however less efficient to cases of pulmonary TB. Therefore, to save lives, relevant stakeholders should come up with appropriate approaches to end the TB epidemic.

References

Navin, T., McNabb, S., & Crawford, J. T. (2002). The continued threat of Tuberculosis. Emerging infectious diseases, 8(11), 1187. ereDoi: 10.3201/eid0811.020468

World Health Organization, & Stop TB Initiative (World Health Organization). (2010). Treatment of Tuberculosis: guidelines. World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=pK0fqlkjFGsC&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=Tuberculosis+&ots=ZidGzP-3sw&sig=T8iMMDRJSt-CwEHO1nXt4IrU2VQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Tuberculosis&f=false