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TUBERCULOSIS (TB)

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable illness caused by germs that attack the lungs or any

other body part such as the spine, kidney or the brain. When not properly treated, TB can cause

fatal effects. About a third of the global population is infected with TB and approximately nine

million contracts the illness annually.

Spreading of TB

TB is an Air Bourne disease meaning it is spread through the air from one individual to

another. In case an infected person sneezes or coughs the TB bacteria gets into the air and

anyone in close or has frequent contact can contract the illness through breathing in the bacteria.

Generally for anyone to contract the infection it takes frequent exposures for several hours. TB

cannot be spread through kissing, shaking hands, sharing toothbrushes, touching bed linens or

toilets.

Self protection from TB

Once you notice the Tuberculosis symptoms seek medical aid immediately. TB has a

long medication process before someone becomes well and cannot infect other people. The law

states that, TB should be communicated by hospitals, doctors and laboratories to the TB Control

Program at the department of health. It is important for a person with TB to receive good medical

care. Prevention of the Tuberculosis bacteria can be ensured through screening and having the

opportunity of receiving prevention medication if instructed (Organization, 2015).

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Environmental factors

TB is among the leading killer illnesses since the earlier times. It is out dated evidence of

the fatal disease was found in the homo-erectus skeleton over a million years ago. You would be

surprised to find just a few cases of this illness in a modern hospital in a developed country. TB

is associated with poverty since time in history. Most of the people who die from this disease

annually are from the developing countries or poor, urban neighborhoods in developed countries.

TB is also associated with environmental factors that are connected to poverty like indoor

pollution of the air, malnutrition, tobacco smoke, living in overcrowded situations and use of

excessive alcohol. Professionals are providing a more convincing research on TB, and control

programs must be lifted to limit the spread of this illness. Following World Health Organization

(WHO) about nine million new TB cases are annually diagnosed, 55% of these cases being from

Asia and 31% from Africa, Placing TB after HIV/AIDS in global infectious illness burden.

Control procedures of TB as adopted by WHO and other health organizations are emphasizing

on clinical solutions in form drugs, access to health care and vaccines. Despite the victory of the

health programs TB mortality and incidence is not dropping as expected by World Health

Organization (WHO), but in the sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, TB continues to sky rocket

(Acton, 2012). We all need to work together to eradicate this epidemic. Harvard School of Public

health predicted that by 2033 incidence rates of TB in parts of China would be about 52% lower

if indoor pollution from traditional cooking stoves and tobacco smoking are eliminated. The

assumption on the reduction is that 80% of Chinas population has access to optimal health care.

Socioeconomic status, lifestyle and illness management influence

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Consensus show that progress in TB control in the middle class and low income world

will require more than just investment in order to strengthen TB control programs, treatment and

diagnostics with social action determinants. Interventions from outside the health sector

especially in the social protection and urban planning are potentially strong to control TB. Public

health organization should collaborate with the private sectors to control TB. Teaching the public

on ways to prevent and control TB would go an extra mile in eradicating it.

Public health department on TB

TB is a major public health issue today, throughout the globe. It causes more than a

million deaths annually. Tuberculosis is curable if treated the right way. Public health

professionals with the help of other organizations are trying to improve the lives of the poor in

the developing countries, by teaching them the causes of TB and how it can be prevented. Also,

they provide vaccines for kids if necessary. Public health professionals are working on limiting

the factors that lead to the spread of TB like tobacco and densely populated areas by trying to

improve the flow of air in houses.

Quality health assurance

Fight against TB is changing from controlling to attempting to eradicate the epidemic.

International donor and community policing are embracing targets of 90%-95% TB mortality

and incidence reduction by 2050. Successful eradication of this illness is based on two essential

components: (1) Reporting every case systematically and (2) disease cluster identification at the

local level where the ongoing transmission occurs (Yichen Lu, 2017). The components enable

condition documentation and tracking its trend in every community and targeting resources to

where they show much need.

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References

Acton, Q. A. (2012). Respiratory Tract Diseases. Georgia: ScholarlyEditions.

Organization, W. H. (2015). Guide to Monitoring and Evaluation for Collaborative TB/HIV

Activities. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Yichen Lu, L. W. (2017). Global Tuberculosis Control. Beijing: Springer Shop.