What Type of Pathogen is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infection caused by bacteria known as mycobacteria. TB can affect many parts of the body, including the skin, bones and joints, but the most common place of infection is the lungs. TB cases are increasing around the world, and about one third of people around the world are believed to be infected.

History

• Also known as "consumption" or "the white plague," tuberculosis has been a source of infection in humans for centuries. TB affected people in ancient Egypt -- more than 4000 years ago -- and ancient Greece. Many people in Europe were infected in the 17th century. In the 1800's and early 1900's, people went to sanatoriums for treatment -- in the form of rest, fresh air and sunshine. Today TB is treated with antibiotics.

Features

• In early infection, TB bacteria usually invade your lungs and multiply. Your immune system creates a wall (tubercle) around the bacteria. Scar tissue further encloses the area, protecting the rest of the body and preventing spread of the infection. You can have TB in this stage of infection and never know it.
  If you are reinfected with TB or if your immune system is overwhelmed by another infection or illness, the tubercles can burst open and release the bacteria, damaging and eventually destroying the lungs if not treated. During an active infection, you will cough up pus and breathe out bacteria from the burst tubercles. This is when the disease is most contagious.

Prevention/Solution

• If you think you have been exposed to TB, see your doctor. He will give you a small injection under the skin of your arm, to see if you have been exposed to TB. If your skin test is positive, your doctor will take a chest x-ray to look for tubercles or lung damage, and have you provide a morning sputum (spit) sample to see if you are currently infected.
  If you are infected, you will receive a combination of several different types of antibiotics. You must take all of the antibiotics for as long as your doctor tells you to do so.

Considerations

• Because of the risk of spreading TB to others, if you have an active infection you will likely spend a few weeks in the hospital. This is to ensure that you take your medications daily and to prevent you from spreading the infection to others. Following treatment in the hospital, you will still be required to take medications for several months -- up to 9 months -- to kill all bacteria present in your body.

Warning

• You must take all of your medication until your doctor tells you to stop taking it. Antibiotic-resistant TB bacteria have developed because people have not taken their medications for as long as they were supposed to. It is important to make sure that you have completely killed off all TB bacteria in your body before you stop taking your medications, or else the remaining bacteria can develop a resistance to the antibiotics, making them more dangerous to everyone.