Can antibiotics help cure Tuberculosis?
Problem
Tuberculosis is a very common and an which is caused by different strains of mycobacterium. Tuberculosis usually attacks the but it can also affect other parts of the body. It can be spread through the air when people who have the disease cough, sneeze, or spit, therefore spreading the infection. ‘After the tuberculosis bacteria have been inhaled they reach the lungs and, within approximately six weeks, a small infection appears that rarely gives any symptoms. This is called a primary infection’. The lymph nodes in the heart and lungs become swollen; The TB then spreads to other parts of the body. (1). Most infections in humans result in an asymptomatic, latent infection, approximately one in ten latent infections eventually become an active disease, which, if left untreated, kills more than half of its victims. In addition, in the 19th centaury approximately 1 in 4 people had this disorder. Also, this disease kills over two million people a year. In addition, those who have HIV or alcoholics are more likely to develop tuberculosis due to a weaker immunity to disease. If someone has a stronger immune system the disease may remain dormant longer or remain dormant for the rest of the person’s life, as the immune system forms a scar tissue, which helps fight the bacteria. However, tuberculosis can still emerge at any time, as at any time the bacteria could break out of the scar tissue making it infectious again. ‘When a person becomes infected with tuberculosis, the bacteria in the lungs multiply and cause along with chest pain, coughing up blood, and a prolonged cough’. (2)
