| A bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis | | | | determine if a person has TB. A common test is a |
| causes the bacterial infection called tuberculosis. In | | | | skin test in which a small amount of the protein from |
| the past this disease was greatly feared, as there | | | | a killed TB bacterium is injected under the skin of |
| was no cure for it. But antibiotics were developed in | | | | your forearm. If the test is positive, a small bump will |
| the 1950s and it was predicted that the disease | | | | appear in the next two to three days. This test will |
| would be eradicated as the number of cases | | | | tell if you have ever been infected with TB but it will |
| continued to drop. Then with the spread of HIV and | | | | not determine whether or not you have an active |
| AIDS, tuberculosis again became a problem. However, | | | | infection. TB bacteria can lie dormant in the lungs |
| due to aggressive public health efforts in the United | | | | over a long period of time. If a person with a positive |
| States, it is not a major health problem. This is not | | | | skin test will not be contagious if the infection is not |
| true of third world countries. In these countries TB | | | | active. |
| continues to be one of the leading causes of death. | | | | Chest x-rays will show scars on the lungs and lymph |
| TB is very contagious and is spread when an infected | | | | nodes of the chest. This indicates that you were |
| person coughs. The bacteria travel from their lungs | | | | infected with TB in the past. A chest x-ray can |
| into the air and are breathed in by other people. In | | | | reveal signs of an active infection. The doctor may |
| most people the immune system can fight off the | | | | also take a sample of your phlegm. This can be |
| infection. However, the people that are highly | | | | examined for presence of the TB bacterium. If it is |
| susceptible to TB are those who have HIV, those | | | | present in your phlegm, you definitely have an active |
| living in crowded facilities such as prisons, nursing | | | | infection and are contagious. If the doctor is still |
| homes, and halfway houses, health care workers, | | | | unsure, after performing these tests, a bronchoscopy |
| alcoholics, homeless people and anyone with a | | | | may be performed. In this procedure, a tiny sample |
| suppressed immune system. Patients with rheumatoid | | | | of your lung tissue is removed for laboratory analysis. |
| arthritis are also at high risk for the disease as | | | | Most incidences of TB can be cured by antibiotics. |
| scientists have determined there is a link between TB | | | | There are several different types available and |
| and some of the drugs that are prescribed for the | | | | patient usually takes a combination of three or |
| treatment of arthritis. | | | | sometimes even four different types daily for six |
| The most prominent symptom of TB is a chronic | | | | months. However, there are some TB bacteria that |
| cough. Other symptoms include fever, night sweats, | | | | are resistant to these antibiotics. In this case, the |
| chest pain, bloodstained phlegm, and fatigue and | | | | infection is labelled multi-drug resistant TB. |
| weight loss. There are various tests used to | | | | |