Canyon University: NRS427V.vR.Communincable Disease Chain
October 25, 2015

Description Causes Tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria tubercle bacillus or mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria was discovered by a microbiologist Robert Koch in 1882.

Transmission When a person who is infected with TB exhale, sneezes, cough, speaks or sings tiny droplets of fluid containing tubercle bacilli are released into the air. The mist, or aerosol is inhaled through the nasal passage. The bacteria can stay in the air for several hours. A fetus can be infected with tuberculosis by inhaling or swallowing the amniotic fluid of an infected mother. Once inhaled tubercle bacilli reach the alveoli and are spread by the lymph vessels to nearby lymph nodes. The bacilli moves through the blood vessels to distant organs. They may become inactive or latent or they may cause the active disease. The tissue damage is caused by the reaction of the person’s tissue to its presence. After several weeks the host develops an immune response to the bacilli, cells attack the bacilli and permit the initial damage to heal and prevent future disease permanently. Being infected with the bacteria does not mean that the person is contagious or ill. They might have symptoms of the disease. The chest x-ray will remain negative. However they can become ill after many years.

Symptoms The symptoms of Tuberculosis disease are weight loss, fever, night sweats, coughing, chest pain, coughing greenish-yellowish sputum, coughing up of blood, loss of appetite, weakness and weight loss.

Complications Pneumothorax and pleural effusion can develop as a result of the infection causing difficulty to breathe. A chest tube