A certain percentage of individuals all over the world are infected with the bacteria responsible for causing tuberculosis which is why it is still one of the most deadly diseases until today. Tuberculosis is responsible for causing millions of death globally every year affecting individuals of all ages which makes it one of the deadly diseases in the world.
Cause of pneumonia
Tuberculosis is typically triggered by infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria are capable of infecting various parts of the body including the joints, skin, bones, kidney, lymph nodes, spine and the nervous system. Since the bacteria require oxygen in order to thrive, the bacteria most often infect the upper part of the lungs.
How tuberculosis spreads
Tuberculosis is considered as a highly communicable disease that is capable of spreading from one individual to another via the air. Once an individual is infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis, talking, singing, sneezing or coughing can spread tiny droplets that contain the bacteria into the air. These are inhaled by others who are nearby.
What are the risk factors?
Even though tuberculosis can affect anyone, there are certain groups of individuals who are at higher risk for being infected with the mycobacterium tuberculosis. Any individual who has a close encounter with someone who is suffering from active tuberculosis, it puts him/her at risk.
In case an individual has a weakened immune system due to another condition such as AIDS, the risk for acquiring active tuberculosis is heightened. In such cases, tuberculosis can become an active disease within weeks of being infected. Those who live or work in facilities such as nursing homes, hospitals, prisons or homeless shelters, they face a high risk for acquiring tuberculosis. Take note that this is due to fact that infection readily spreads from one individual to another and in close living quarters.
Latent infection
Most individuals who become infected with tuberculosis will not end up with the disease. Among healthy individuals, once the bacteria enter the body, the immune system fights off the bacteria to prevent them from growing and causing the bacteria to become dormant.
Individuals who have a latent infection will not have any signs or symptoms or could not spread the diseases. On the other hand, he/she ends up with a positive test during a TB skin test and must undergo treatment in order to prevent the latent infection from becoming active.
Some cases of latent tuberculosis can become active diseases. Once the immune system could no longer control the bacteria from growing and multiplying, they can become, resulting to the tuberculosis disease.
Those who have active tuberculosis will manifest symptoms including a cough that lasts for 3 weeks or longer, chest pain and coughing up blood-streaked sputum. Individuals who have tuberculosis are considered highly contagious and can spread the disease to others close them.