Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic bacterial disease which it is mainly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spreads widely through the air and frequently infects the lungs, although damages other organs and involves other parts of the body. Most people who are infected anchorage the tuberculosis bacterium without symptoms. This is well-known as latent tuberculosis. If the body’s resistance becomes low, the bacteria may tend to damage out of hiding and results active tuberculosis.
World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, each year, eight million people worldwide develop active tuberculosis and nearly two million people die accordingly. Out of 10 people at least one who is contaminated with tuberculosis can increase active TB in their lives. In the first year after infection, the risk of developing the active disease will be greater, but it regularly does not take place.
Causes of Tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a bacterium which is the cause of tuberculosis (TB). This bacterium usually affects the lungs. However, it can affect any part of the body which includes kidney, spine, and brain. TB can lead to death if it is not treated properly on time.
Air is the main medium of spreading the TB from one person to another. When a person with active TB coughs or sneeze the bacteria spreads through air to various persons. People one who is nearby may get affected while they breathe in the TB infected air.
Transmission
Tuberculosis is mainly transfers through the air from one person to another person. The transmission of bacteria is done through air when a person with active TB is about to coughs or sneeze due to this people nearby gets infected easily.
People who do handshakes, sits on toilet seats, or sharing dishes and utensils with someone who has get affected by tuberculosis.
Symptoms
The bacteria infect most people when they breathe infected air, the resistance of the body is capable to fight against the bacteria and resist them from growing. Once the bacteria become inactive, but they remain active longer in the body and happen to active later on. This is called latent tuberculosis.
The bacteria may break out of hiding and cause active tuberculosis, if the body’s resistance is less because of aging, undernourishment, infections like HIV. In such cases, symptoms consists such as unexplained weight loss, Fever, Chills, Night sweats, weakness or fatigue, loss of appetite, cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer, can cause pain in the chest and while coughing can release up blood or sputum.
Treatment Options
The tuberculosis can be cured by taking medication. When the doctor or some other health care workers and patient with close cooperation present in order to ensure that the exact quantity of medicine is taken at the right time tuberculosis can be easily cured.
Prevention
Tuberculosis is mostly a curable disease. Prevention focuses on preventive action taken on people those results, with positive Tuberculosis test without tuberculosis (latent tuberculosis) symptoms, precautions at hospitals and clinics, BCG vaccine and reducing exposures when a person is infectious.