| what is TB? | an infectious disease, usually found in the lungs, causing coughting, shortness of breath, tiredness and loss of weight. around a third of the world is infected with the bacterium killls most people worldwide diessease. |
| what is TB caused by | the 2 rod shaped bacteria myobacterium turberculosis. |
| people who are infected with myobacterium from 2 groups which differ epidermiogically (first group) | approximately 90 - 95% do not suffer any symptoms and the infection is controlled by the bodies immune system. these individuals cannot pass on the pathogen, but the bacterium remains dominant or inactive condition known as latent TB. can be activated later after years |
| people who are infected with myobacterium from 2 groups which differ epidermiogically (second group) | approximately 5 to 10% of people infected with the pathogen develop the disease (active TB), these individuals can transmit the pathogen and so the disease can be spread to uninfected people, young people and people with weak immune system are most at risk of developing active TB |
| how is TB spread | droplet infection (sneeze and cough) takes close contact with an infected person over a period of time. can spread from cows to humans , dariy products made from contaminated milk are a source of the pathogen. |
| groups that are at a greater risk of contracting TB | conact with infected individuals over long periods
are infected with HIV / AIDS
undergoing treatment with immuno - suppersant drugs
are malnourished
alcoholic, injecting drug users
live in regions or countries where thers is a high number of infected catttle. |
| prevention and control (vaccination) | vaccination of those individuals who are already immune is unnessasry and dangerous. those without immunity are given the bacillus calmette-guerin (BCG) vaccine. this is an attentuated strain of m bovis. |
| prevention and control (antibiotic treatement) | 2 most effective drugs. isoniazid and rifampicin are taken daily for 6 months. in additions in the first 2 months of the treatement. two other antiotics are taken daily. |
| problem with all drug treatements for TB. | people consider themselves cured and stop taking the drugs after feeling better after months of treatment, the few bacteria that remain are least susceptiable to the drug, can multiply and so increase the chance of mutations occuring, less chance of effective treatement. |
| features of the End TB strategy | testing for the presence of myobacterium in people suspected of having TB and screening for TB in high risk groups to allow early diagnosis of the nisease.
providing treatement to all people with TB and giving support
monitoring and recording of each patients treatment
giving antibiotics to people with latent TB
better housing the prevent over crowding
better nutrition |
