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