| Tuberculosis is a germ infection caused by | | | | tuberculosis. |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis which generally affects | | | | Also, the risk of catching TB increases with the |
| the lungs, but it can also affect kidneys, lymph | | | | frequency of contacting other infected people, with |
| nodes, spine, intestinal tract and brain. | | | | miserable living conditions and with poor nutrition. |
| Tuberculosis is spreading by air, if an infected person | | | | Another factor that helps tuberculosis to spread is |
| coughs sneezes or shouts, the germs spreading into | | | | the fact that some patients do not finish their |
| the air. By inhaling them other people get infected. | | | | antibiotic treatment. This treatment must be followed |
| After the discovery of the BCG vaccine and of the | | | | a long period of time (6 to 9 months), and often, if |
| antibiotic treatment of TB, the number of TB cases | | | | patients feel better they interrupt the treatment, |
| declined in the early 1980's and experts thought that | | | | believing that they are cured, but this is only an |
| the disease would be eradicated by 2010. But | | | | illusion, because TB germ is still alive, can activate |
| between 1985 and 1991 more and more cases of TB | | | | instantly and spread itself to other healthy people. |
| were discovered in US. Since 1992, in US, the number | | | | This fact also could lead to the mutation of the germ |
| of reported cases declined continuously and so, in | | | | that becomes multi drug resistant, and does not |
| 2004 there was a 46% drop of reported cases from | | | | respond properly to the known treatment, and so, |
| 12 years earlier. | | | | scientists must discover new efficient drugs. |
| One of the reason why tuberculosis has spread so | | | | Nowadays people have businesses to take care of, |
| quickly lately is the increased number of patients | | | | and they have to travel a lot. Tourism as well has |
| infected with HIV. HIV leads to a weakened immune | | | | developed and gained a lot of interested people in |
| system, and so, TB has a free way to develop, and | | | | this activity. All these activities can lead to a |
| passes quickly from the primarily stage to the | | | | contamination with the TB bacterium and its |
| secondary stage. | | | | transportation back home where healthy people are. |
| The germ can reactivate if a person has a weakened | | | | In preventing Tb from spreading, governments need |
| immune system like in the cases of AIDS, post | | | | to develop special international measures and |
| surgery, after other infections, in miners and foundry | | | | communicate with people. Also, regular controls |
| workers, and in those who have scars of healed | | | | should be made along with the education for health. |