Tuberculosis: A disease without boundaries

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) that usually affects the lungs leading to severe coughing, fever, and chest pains. Although current research in the past four years has provided valuable insight into TB transmission, diagnosis, and treatment, much remains to be discovered to effectively decrease the incidence of and eventually eradicate TB. The disease still puts a strain on public health, being only second to HIV/AIDS in causing high mortality rates. This review will highlight the history of TB as well as provide an overview of the current literature on epidemiology, pathogenesis and the immune response, treatment, and control of TB. In this race to combat a disease that knows no boundaries, it is necessary to have a conceptual and clear understanding of TB overall with the hope of providing better treatment through novel and collaborative research and public health efforts.

Inhalable Antitubercular Therapy Mediated by Locust Bean Gum Microparticles

“…Although there is an effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB), the disease remains one of the major health problems worldwide [1]. In 2014, the World Health Organization reported 9.6 million new cases of TB [2], infection caused by inhalation of aerosol particles containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacilli [1].…”

“…In 2014, the World Health Organization reported 9.6 million new cases of TB [2], infection caused by inhalation of aerosol particles containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacilli [1]. The inhaled bacilli are phagocytosed by alveolar macrophages, which triggers a series of events that can lead to either control of the infection, i.e., latent TB, or progression to an active form of the disease [1].…”

Effect of Diabetes Mellitus on Rifampicin Peak Serum Concentration

“…TB affects the lungs (Pulmonary tuberculosis-PTB) more commonly than the other parts including pleura, central nervous system, lymphatic system, bone and joints (extra-pulmonary tuberculosis). Hemoptysis, night sweats, loss of appetite and weight loss are the common symptoms of PTB [1,2].…”

Cost of care for hospitalized patients with pulmonary mycobacterial diseases in the United States.

“…Other host factors can be explained by immune suppression. 24 Activation of TB can occur secondary to several health conditions and diseases that suppress the immune system, the use of certain drug therapies that suppress the immune system as part of cancer treatment, post-transplant therapy or immune modulation therapy such as antitumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) drugs commonly used to treat autoimmune diseases. Also, the presence of several underlying diseases are a common facilitator of active TB infection in many parts of the world such as pulmonary diseases, diabetes mellitus, 25 and other conditions that have been shown to affect the immune system.…”

“…As a result, the medical community continues to rely upon outdated therapies and diagnostic technology in care settings in both developed and low resource countries, leaving much of the world ill equipped to address emerging needs. 18,19 …”