Tuberculosis Essay Assignment
Infectious diseases are one of the greatest problems for public health in all countries all over the world. Some of them are under medical control at the moment and researchers managed to find solutions, however, there are still a lot of infectious diseases, which still continue to torture humanity. In addition there are new diseases, which are developing and need further research and control. According to the statistical research of the US National Institute of Health around 16 new infectious diseases were indicated within last twenty years. The problem is that agents and some organisms reveal the tendency to turn into new forms and re-adapt to the existing conditions. Certainly all infectious diseases, including tuberculosis for example, have ruining effects upon society and public health, at the same time providing additional possibilities for health care industry.Tuberculosis Essay Assignment
Tuberculosis is infectious disease, it is caused by bacteria, which is able to grow usually in the parts of human body, where blood and oxygen are concentrated. In the most cases they could be found in lungs and in this case the disease is called pulmonary TB. However, TB could be found in other part of human body also, and then it is referred to as extrapulmonary TB. This disease could be successfully treated, but the process is not easy and rather long, lasting from 6 up to 9 months or even a couple of years. Tuberculosis is considered to be either active or latent. Patients are diagnosed with latent TB, in case the TB bacteria are present in their bodies, but the immune system is able to withstand and doesn’t allow them into active TB. In other words, a patient is not sick at the moment, there are no vivid symptoms of this disease and it an individual is not dangerous to other people around. Still latent TB could at any moment become active TB. In case of active TB the bacteria are rapidly growing, causing the traditional symptoms of tuberculosis. If the lungs of a sick person are infected with TB, then there is a high risk of spreading it further. TB from the lungs comes out via active breathing of a sick person, at the moment when air comes out of his lungs, the TB bacteria could be spread to other people. At the moment of laughing or coughing even more bacteria come out. In case of extrapulmonary TB, it could not be spread so easily to other individuals. There are two patterns of this disease pointed out: primary tuberculosis, or initial infection, which is combined with granulomatous hilar lymph node infection; secondary tuberculosis, often is a reactivation of previous infection, the granulomatous inflammation is much more florid and widespread. (Ludvigsson, 2007, p. 26).
In the process of research of this infectious disease, there were certain categories of people pointed out, which are most luckily to get tuberculosis. People with HIV or any other illness, which suppresses the immune system, are inclined to catch tuberculosis. Certainly all individuals, who lived close to an infected person with active TB, are at risk. Doctors and nurses, who help sick patients, could also catch TB from them. In general visiting such places, where there are a lot of people of specific categories, like prisons or homeless shelters, is a risky thing, as there could be a lot of patients with active TB. There are countries, where TB is often met as it remains untreated, like for example Latin America, Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, could be very dangerous even for strong travelers. If there is no other choice, but be involved in one of the above-mentioned activities, then it is necessary to go through regular TB testing, which takes place at least once per year.Tuberculosis Essay Assignment
Tuberculosis is respiratory disease, which is as many other diseases, has serious social impact and could lead to social implications. Most of individuals are aware of the fact, how tuberculosis is transmitted, thus correspondingly they wouldn’t like to be close to the infected persons. “During the beginning stages of active TB, those under medical care are required to stay physically isolated for two weeks or longer while receiving treatment to insure that they are no longer contagious.” (Ludvigsson, 2007, p. 31). And still, when the time passes and they are not contagious any more, stigma is not in the past. Taking into consideration that TBN is a life-threatening disease, people don’t want to be close to infected patients. This results in the fact that infected people feel themselves ignored and avoided and indicate their life conditions as worse, then those of usual people. A lot of problems are experienced by women, infected with TB, they experience deterioration of sexual activities and problems in relations with their children, as they are constantly afraid to pass their infection to them. According to statistical data, “TB is the third-leading cause of death for women aged 15 to 44. This is of particular social importance because these are the prime years for women to bear children. Another study from University Hospitals in Assuit, Egypt, analyzed the effects of tuberculosis on menstrual patterns and fertility.” (Chamla, 2010, p. 121). Judging from these facts, it becomes evident that tuberculosis is the disease, which is able to have direct negative impact upon birth rates in the societies and social relations in general.Tuberculosis Essay Assignment
Apart of social impact, it is also necessary to discuss economic impact of TB. This is a kind of infectious disease with global development. Certainly development and introduction of new ways and methods of treatment of this disease could contribute to better economic development of some countries or some regions, promoting trade and new branches of industries there. “The concept of health being a necessary precursor to wealth is as true for the world as a whole as it is for the individual. TB will rob the world’s poorest countries of an estimated $1 to $3 trillion over the next 10 years. This will disproportionately impact developing countries, where 94 percent of TB cases and 98 percent of TB deaths occur. Particularly troubling for the prospects of global prosperity, 75 percent of TB cases arise during people’s most productive years, between the ages of 15 and 54” (Chamla, 2010, p. 128).
Certainly infectious diseases have impact not only upon society, human relations and public health in general, but also upon business relations in various countries of the world, as well as international businesses. Diseases are related to laboratories and factories, tuberculosis, as one of the most dangerous infectious diseases nowadays, is not an exception. Taking into consideration the terrible statistical data about patients, who die from TB and the specific multi-drugs, which are needed for patients, diagnosed with TB, the need of proper diagnosing of TB, it is evident that a lot of structures are involved and have the chance to earn money. “In recent years, however, there has been significant progress. Fast, accurate diagnostic tests for use in poor, rural settings and vaccines and improved drugs are being developed. In 2010, a machine called Xpert MTB/RIF that quickly tests for TB and drug resistance was approved by the WHO and is being rolled out globally.” (Chamla, 2010, p. 129).Tuberculosis Essay Assignment
Overall, tuberculosis is one of the most serious infectious diseases, which has direct and indirect impact upon public and individual health, social relations and social position, development of economy in some regions or even whole countries and development of business all over the world.
References:
Chamla D. (2010). The assessment of patients’ health-related quality of life during tuberculosis treatment. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis
Dhingra V.K., Rajpal S.(2003). Health related quality of life scoring in tuberculosis. Indian J Tuberc
ludvigsson J.F., et al. (2007). Coeliac disease and risk of tuberculosis: A population based cohort study. Thorax
Pasipanodya J, et al. (2011). Tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases. Philadelphia: Saunders.Tuberculosis Essay Assignment