Tuberculosis Essay Research Paper TuberculosisTB is a

Tuberculosis Essay, Research Paper

Tuberculosis

TB is a disease that can cause a serious illness and can damage a person’s

organs. Every year more than 25,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with TB

disease. That’s only a fraction of the amount of people who carry the

Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a rod-shaped

bacterium. TB is spread through the air by carriers of the germ. People who

breathe the same air can become infected with the TB germ. People who do work

around or with people with the TB disease should take medicine. TB infection

means that the person has the TB germs but they are in an inactive state. When

TB germs enter the body, the immune system builds a wall around them. While TB

germs are inactive, they cannot cause any damage. These germs can stay alive

for many years in these walls and eventually break out. At this time TB is

active then it becomes TB disease. It can now affect the system’s organs. A

person can have TB disease shortly after being infected with TB germs if the

person’s immune system is weak.

TB can attack any part of the system. The lungs are the most common area of

attack. People with the TB disease have one or more of the following symptoms:

a cough that hangs on, fevers, weight loss, night sweats, constant fatigue, and

loss of appetite. A person with the TB disease in the late stages will cough up

blood streaked sputum. People who have Active TB disease usually only have mild

symptoms. There are three tests to diagnose TB disease. One is the Tuberculin

Mantoux PPD skin test; two is a Chest X-ray which is given after the Skin test

is positive; three Sputum Test reveals if TB germs are in thick liquid a person

coughs up. The Tuberculin Mantoux PPD skin test is given by placing a substance

called PPD Tuberculin under the top layer of the skin with a very small needle

and syringe. The doctor will inject the needle into the skin which will only

feel like a slight pen prick. A few days later the skin test reaction will be

read by a trained health worker. If the skin around the prick israised and it

is bigger or the same size as a pencil eraser then the person is likely to have