Infectious Diseases and HIV Conference

Tuberculosis, commonly known as TB, is a very infectious bacterial disease that is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mainly.

Most infections usually work in the form of pulmonary TB that affects the lungs; though this infection may be limited to other parts of the body also, such as the kidneys, spine, and the brain, an extra pulmonary TB.

TB is simultaneously considered to be one of the most critical health issues that can attack the human body, ironically. It is one of the most widespread infectious diseases in the world today since it has been a source of serious morbidity and mortality in these areas for many decades.

TB does not manifest immediately after infection with the bacterium and signs of TB. Signs may develop gradually and can be one or more of the following ones: Long cough for more than three week: Pain in the chest, Coughing up blood or sputum, Weight loss despite advice against it, Unintended loss of weight, Night sweats, Fever with chills. The patients with TB could be classified as having either latent TB infection or active TB disease.

The bacilli are present in an inactive state inside the body in LTBI, and the individual is not infectious and does not manifest any clinical signs and symptoms of the diseases. However, LTBI can progress to be active TB, especially in immunocompromised patients if left untreated.

Living with such persons exposes people to the risk of developing TB anytime especially if they share a small congested room or poorly ventilated roommate Diagnosis diagnosis can be achieved through, TST: A few amounts of tuberculin are injected into the skin for 48-72 hours to observe the response. Interferon-gamma release assays: Blood tests which assess the level of reactions to certain proteins expressed by TB.Chest X-rays: To establish lung damage or abnormality. Sputum test: Examination of the sputum specimen to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis using microscopy and culture.Antituberculosis drugs are given to all patients over six months.

In most cases, the antibacterial medications prescribed to a drug-resistant TB patient, in general, come in the following formulations and doses: Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Ethambutol, and Pyrazinamide. Indeed, however, drug-resistant tuberculosis is a major public health concern.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, two of the most potent first-line medicines.

In treatment, DR-TB is complicated by longer durations and more expensive drugs, which are often accompanied by worse side effects. Improvement programs are undertaken throughout the world to control and eventually eradicate TB through improvement of access to early diagnosis and proper treatment, infrastructural strengthening in public health, and awareness generation towards this disease.

The WHO has set very high bars regarding the decrease in incidence and death tolls due to TB, with more emphasis on how to overcome the resistance of strains. It remains one of the advanced threats to human beings' health everywhere in the world today.

However, early detection, effective treatment, and complete prevention measures make it highly possible to control and entirely eliminate the disease.

This ideal would require coordination with healthcare providers, governments, and communities for protecting vulnerable populations around the world.