All age groups and all regions are affected by NCDs. NCDs are often associated with older age groups, but evidence shows that more than 9 million of all deaths attributed to non communicable diseases (NCDs) occur before the age of 60. Of these "premature" deaths, 90% occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Children, adults and the elderly are all vulnerable to the risk factors that contribute to non communicable diseases, whether from unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, exposure to tobacco smoke or the effects of the harmful use of alcohol.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an example of a communicable disease . TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB that affects the lungs is the only form of the condition that is contagious and it usually only spreads after prolonged exposure to someone with the illness. In most healthy people, the body’s immune system kills the bacteria and there are no further symptoms. However, sometimes the immune system cannot kill the bacteria, but manages to prevent it from spreading in the body. This means the infected person will not have any symptoms, but the bacteria will remain in the person’s body. This is referred to as latent TB. If the immune system fails to kill or contain the infection, it can spread to the lungs or other parts of the body and symptoms will develop within a few weeks or months. This is known as active TB. Latent TB could develop into an active TB infection at a later date, particularly if the infected person’s immune system becomes weakened.
TB can be prevented by administering the BCG vaccination. BCG stands for "Bacille Calmette-Guérin." The vaccine was developed by Albert Calmette and Camille Guérin who worked at the Pasteur Institute at Lille and Paris from 1908 to 1919. They developed the vaccine by subculturing various virulent strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis on different culture media, they developed a strain that was less virulent. The less virulent strain of the disease is introduced into the body via a needle which stimulates the body's immune system to produce antibodies. Although some people may encounter minor symptoms of the disease they will not get the full blown disease. This is the best method of prevention of TB as it offers immunisation and is not a temporary method.
The BCG vaccine was used in the UK from 1953 to 2005 for immunisation of children, and it is still used on a limited scale if required. Today, vaccination is recommended to people in higher risk of contracting the disease which includes people within localities where there has been 40 cases or more incidents of TB especially children and infants; new immigrants from countries were TB cases are high; people in organisations where there are a mass amount of people in one environment such as hospital staff, prisoners and refugees; and also people who have been around people diagnosed with TB.
If an individual has already been infected with the TB virus, the infection can usually be cured. Treatment consists of antibiotics given to the person over a period of time usually 6 to 8 months. Several different antibiotics are used. This is because some forms of TB are resistant to certain antibiotics. Tuberculosis (TB) that develops a resistance to one type of antibiotic is not usually a concern because alternative antibiotics are available however, according to the NHS in a number of cases (2 out of every 100 cases in 2011), the TB virus is resistant to at least two antibiotics. Treatment can last as long as 18 months in such instances and specialist treatment and monitoring is usually required.
Diabetes is the name used to describe a metabolic condition of having higher than normal blood sugar levels. There are different reasons why people get high blood glucose levels and so a number of different types of diabetes exist. Type 1 diabetes is typically developed as a child or young adult, and is a disease that destroys pancreatic cells meaning no insulin production is possible. Type 2 diabetes is considerably more common and typically affects people over the age of 45, who are also overweight. Those suffering from type 2 are unable to produce enough insulin, and sugar builds up in the bloodstream. Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations.
Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes often appear suddenly and include: High levels of sugar in the blood and urine, frequent urination, hunger, thirst, weight loss, weakness, tiredness, mood swings, nausea and vomiting. Type 2 diabetes symptoms include thirst and regular need to urinate, tiredness, irritability and nausea. Skin infections, blurry vision, tingling or dry skin are also relatively common symptoms.
Insulin injections are given to people with type1 diabetes and some people with type2 diabetes. They increase the amount of insulin being produced within the body which brings down the blood sugar level. Insulin can also be administered through wearing an insulin pump which drips insulin into the body through the day. Other medications include tablets which can increase the amount of insulin, delay absorption of glucose, suppress glucagon or increase the action of insulin.
Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes) can be controlled through diet and exercise, although as stated earlier, it is common for people with type 2 diabetes to need medication such as tablets or injections to help them to keep their blood sugar levels within the normal range. Controlled diet and exercise is the best way of controlling type 2 diabetes because this form of diabetes is commonly associated with people who are overweight, eat unhealthy diets (containing high amounts of carbohydrates or fats) and do not have much physical activity. Obesity is the most potent risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Rising obesity is linked to rising type 2 diabetes in the UK. It accounts for 80–85 per cent of the overall risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and underlies the current global spread of the condition.
References:
Communicable diseases. http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga-shs_capt_guide_chap6.pdf
World Health Organization(2012) Noncommunicable diseases. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs355/en/index.html
National Health Service (2013) Tuberculosis. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Tuberculosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Richard Steane. BioTopics. TB prevention and control. http://www.biotopics.co.uk/newgcse/tbpreventioncontrol.html
The global diabetes community. http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-diabetes.html
Hauner H (2010). Obesity and diabetes, in Holt RIG, Cockram CS, Flyvbjerg A et al (ed.) Textbook of
diabetes, 4th edition. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell
Diabetes in the UK April 2012. Key statistics on diabetes. http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/Diabetes-in-the-UK-2012.pdf
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