| Despite advances in treatments available, tuberculosis | | | | the spread of tuberculosis in the U.S. and elsewhere |
| (TB) still remains a global pandemic. One third the | | | | include the increase in number of foreign born |
| human population is currently infected with | | | | nationals, crowded living conditions, increase in drug |
| tuberculosis. What is tuberculosis?The disease | | | | resistant strains of tuberculosis, lack of access to |
| tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium | | | | medical care, and the increase in poverty.Poorly |
| tuberculosis. Tuberculosis can affect any part of the | | | | ventilated and crowded conditions help to spread TB. |
| body but usually infects the lungs. Tuberculosis is | | | | This is one reason tuberculosis cases have reached |
| spread through airborne droplets occurring when an | | | | epidemic proportions. Although the incidence of TB |
| infected individual sneezes, talks, or coughs. However, | | | | cases in the U.S. is declining, the incidence in other |
| prolonged exposure to the infected individual must | | | | parts of the world is increasing. Half of the reported |
| occur before you may become infected. The body | | | | cases in the U.S. (in 2000) occurred in individuals that |
| may harbor the bacteria while the immune system | | | | were born outside of the U.S. Individuals that live in |
| prevents sickness. For this reason, there are two | | | | poverty, move or migrate often usually do not finish |
| forms of TB: latent tuberculosis and active | | | | the tuberculosis treatment. This is leading to drug |
| tuberculosis.With latent tuberculosis, the immune | | | | resistant forms of tuberculosis.Drug resistant strains |
| system is able to prevent the bacteria from growing. | | | | of tuberculosis are a serious problem. Tuberculosis |
| The tuberculosis bacteria remain alive within the body | | | | bacteria have developed strains of the bacteria that |
| but are inactive at this time. However, the bacteria | | | | are resistant to each of the major tuberculosis |
| can become active later in life. Those with latent | | | | medications. There are also strains of tuberculosis |
| tuberculosis have no symptoms, do not feel sick, are | | | | that are resistant to at least two tuberculosis |
| not contagious, and may develop TB later in life if | | | | medications. This multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is |
| they do not receive treatment.Active tuberculosis | | | | posing an even deadlier threat to those affected. |
| simply means that the tuberculosis bacteria are | | | | Individuals affected with MDR-TB are much more |
| growing within the body causing an active infection. | | | | difficult to treat requiring a long term therapy of up |
| Signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis include | | | | to two years. The medications required to treat |
| fatigue, slight fever, chills, night sweats, loss of | | | | these strains can cause serious side effects. This is |
| appetite, unintended weight loss, a cough that lasts | | | | one great reason to complete the entire course of |
| three or more weeks producing discolored or bloody | | | | medication as prescribed by your doctor.Certain |
| sputum, and pain with coughing or breathing. Active | | | | factors increase your risk of contracting tuberculosis. |
| tuberculosis is highly contagious.What is causing the | | | | An individual in an immunocompromised state is at |
| tuberculosis pandemic? Improved public health | | | | risk of developing TB. A number of factors can cause |
| programs have helped to create a steady decline of | | | | the immune system to be in a weakened state. |
| tuberculosis cases in the United States. However, the | | | | Some diseases can suppress the immunity such as |
| problem is far from solved. Factors that contribute to | | | | diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and silicosis. |