Tuberculosis - an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and characterized by the development of cell allergies, specific granulomas in various organs and tissues of the polymorphic clinical picture. Characteristically lung, lymphatic system, bones, joints, genito-urinary organs, skin, eyes, nervous system. If untreated, the disease progresses and ends fatally.
Infectious nature of TB was proved by German Robert Koch in 1882. It was he who opened the mycobacteria, causing disease and modestly described it as "Koch’s bacillus. Unlike other microbes, Mycobacterium tuberculosis is extremely tenacious: excellent feeling in the ground and in the snow, is resistant to alcohol, acid and alkali. Perish it can only under long-term exposure to direct sunlight, high temperatures and chlorine compounds.
In order to get enough only to inhale a small number of bacilli. The presence of tubercle bacilli in the body indicates the infection. However, not all people infected with TB bacilli will become sick with tuberculosis. The immune system walls off the TB bacilli which for years may stay in the "dormant" state. The inability of the immune system to control infection with TB bacilli leads to the development of disease. In the case of illness TB germs have had devastating effects on the body. Without treatment, people with pulmonary TB will infect on average between 10 to 15 people per year.
Every second someone in the world are infected with TB bacilli.
At present, every third person in the world is infected with the TB bacillus.
5-10% of infected people in any period of his life sick with tuberculosis.
In identifying with the microscopic infectious TB (bacilli visible in a sputum smear) in humans, they must complete a full course of treatment with anti-TB drugs in the correct dosage under the supervision of health workers or trained volunteers. This supervised treatment should be regularly and continuously for 6-8 months, at least during the first two months of direct observation of medication. The internationally recommended approach to the fight against tuberculosis – is DOTS (short course directly observed treatment), an inexpensive strategy that can prevent millions of TB cases and deaths over the next decade.
Improper treatment converts easily treatable form of the disease in hard-curable drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Surgical treatment – removal of the lung – used only in advanced cases of tuberculosis.
If untreated, mortality from active tuberculosis reaches 50% in one year to two years. In the remaining 50% of untreated TB becomes chronic.
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