| Since time immemorial, tuberculosis has been | | | | quelling or at least, containing the harmful |
| one of humanity's greatest nemesis. The | | | | effects of the bacteria lies on the |
| earliest of human civilizations have suffered | | | | assumption that it remains well and healthy. |
| tremendous wrecks from this dreadful and | | | | But if our body's immune system is |
| fatal disease. Mummies from Egypt beginning | | | | deteriorated by other factors or infections, |
| 2400 BCE are proofs of the long-enduring | | | | TB bacteria is very well able of escaping the |
| curse of tuberculosis. Even the ancient | | | | fences of the scar tissues and proceed with |
| Greece have their share of tuberculosis | | | | its natural way of living-- replication and |
| plague. It is from Greek literature that the | | | | invasion of other body parts. When this |
| word phthisis, which means consumption, was | | | | happens, pneumonia is very likely to happen |
| first discovered. It was prevalent that | | | | again and again. Worse and highly probable, |
| Hippocrates called it as the most fatal | | | | the bacteria may invade the kidneys, bone, |
| disease of their time.The bacteria by the | | | | spinal cord, and brain lining.Mycobacterium |
| name of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the | | | | tuberculosis is characterized by its staining |
| identified cause of tuberculosis. More | | | | capabilities. Even if the bacteria is |
| popularly known as TB, tuberculosis is | | | | treated, it can leave some strains especially |
| misconceived by many as a disease exclusive | | | | if it had been treated with an acidic |
| to the lungs. While it mainly affects the | | | | solution. |
| lungs, some body parts, or almost every body | | | | |
| part actually, can be affected by TB. The | | | | Mycobacterium tuberculosis has three other |
| central nervous system, lymphatic system, | | | | myobacteria-- M.microti, M.bovis, and |
| circulatory system, genitourinary system, | | | | M.africanum-- that can cause tuberculosis. |
| bones, and joints are just some other body | | | | There are also other myobacteria |
| parts that can be harmed by TB.Mycobacterium | | | | (nontuberculous myobacteria) that can cause |
| tuberculosis is an aerobis bacterium that | | | | TB-like pulmonary diseases, skin disease, and |
| grows slowly that it takes 16 to 20 hours to | | | | lymphadenitis.The primary mode of |
| divide. When this bacteria is inhaled, it | | | | transmission is the inhalation of infected |
| settles around the lung area and its eventual | | | | air exhaled by a TB carrier. The bacteria is |
| multiplication leads to pneumonia. Lymph | | | | transported outside the lungs and mix with |
| nodes connected to the lungs can also be | | | | the air everytime a TB-infected person |
| affected by the infection. These lymph nodes | | | | sneezes, spits, coughs, or even shouts. |
| become enlarged and its normal healthy | | | | People at a close distance can then easily |
| processes gets badly affected. The bacteria | | | | get easily get the bacteria and get |
| that causes TB is highly probable to spread | | | | infected.When the TB infection is active, one |
| around the nearby areas and can reach other | | | | that has not been contained by scar tissues, |
| body parts as well. As a natural response to | | | | a number of symptoms can easily manifest. |
| any bacteria, the human body's immune system | | | | Patients with an active TB infection show |
| would act by producing scar tissues | | | | symptoms of poor general health condition, |
| (fibrosis) to fence the bacteria in the hope | | | | noticeable weight loss, fever, and night |
| of containing its spread. The main goal of | | | | sweats. If the lungs get so infected, chest |
| our body's immune system's response is to | | | | pain, coughing up of sputum and/or blood, and |
| isolate the bacteria from the other tissues | | | | poor breathing generally occur.A combination |
| and organs of our body. If a person's immune | | | | of Myambutol, Rifadin, pyrazinamide, together |
| system succeeds in doing so, the disease may | | | | with isoniazid is the most common treatment |
| be made inactive. People whose immune system | | | | for TB infections that are active and |
| successfully mitigates the spread of the | | | | progressive. In cases of patients not being |
| bacteria generally show no signs and symptoms | | | | able to comply with oral medications, |
| of the infection. However, constant | | | | injection of Streptomycin is given. The |
| production of fibrosis can lead to yet | | | | duration and intensity of medication depends |
| another bad effect. When massive deposits of | | | | on how grave or serious the case already is. |
| calcium go to the scar tissues, | | | | Patients who had an early detection of the |
| calcification, the lymph nodes, and the scar | | | | infection are more likely to be cured |
| tissues are likely to harden like stone.The | | | | immediately than those at late detection. |
| success of our body's immune system on | | | | |