Professional Documents
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1. THE DISEASE
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by infection from the bacteria
M. tuberculosis. If not treated properly, TB can be fatal (1). Currently,
the World Health Organization estimates that over 13 million people
have TB and about 1.5 million die each year from the disease.
Tuberculosis most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB).
Patients with active pulmonary TB usually have a cough, an
abnormal chest x-ray, and are infectious. TB can also occur outside
of the lungs (extrapulmonary), most commonly in the central
nervous, lymphatic, or genitourinary systems, or in the bones and
joints (1). Tuberculosis which occurs scattered throughout the body
is referred to as miliary TB. Extrapulmonary TB is more common in
immunosuppressed persons and in young children (2).
When a person with active pulmonary TB coughs, sneezes, or talks,
the bacteria that cause TB may spread throughout the air. If another
person breathes in these bacteria, there is a chance that they will
become infected with tuberculosis. Repeated contact is usually
required for infection (1). However, not everyone infected with TB
bacteria becomes sick. Roughly 5% of people infected with M.
tuberculosis actually develop TB. People who are infected but not
sick have latent TB infection. Those who have a latent infection are
asymptomatic, do not feel sick, and are not contagious.
2. SYMPTOMS
Early symptoms of active pulmonary TB can include weight
loss,fever, night sweats, and loss of appetite (1). Due to the vague
initial symptoms of TB, an infected person may not feel that there is
anything wrong. The infection can either go into remission or
become more serious with the onset of chest pain and coughing up
bloody sputum (3). The exact symptoms of extrapulmonary TB vary
according to the site of infection in the body.
3. TRANSMISSION
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. Microscopic
droplets that contain the bacteria may be expelled when a person
who has infectious TB coughs or sneezes. They can remain
suspended in the air for several hours, depending on the
environment. When a person breathes in M. tuberculosis, the
bacteria can settle in the lungs and begin to grow. From there, they
can move through the blood to other parts of the body. TB in the
lungs can be infectious because the bacteria are easily spread to
other people. TB in other parts of the body, such as the kidney or
spine, is usually not infectious (1). If a person has confirmed TB or is
suspected of having TB, the best way to stop transmission is through
immediate
isolation.
Therapy
should
begin
immediately.
4. RISK GROUPS
Anyone can get TB. However, some groups are at higher risk to get
active TB disease. People at high risk include those (2):
1. with HIV infection
2. in close contact with those known to be infectious with TB
3. with medical conditions that make the body less able to protect
itself from disease (for example: diabetes, or people undergoing
treatment with drugs that can suppress the immune system,
such as long-term use of corticosteroids)
4. from countries with high TB rates
5. who work in or are residents of long-term care facilities (nursing
homes, prisons, some hospitals)
6. who are malnourished
7. who are alcoholics or IV drug users
5. INFECTION
Infection can develop when a person breathes in tubercle bacilli from
expelled droplets from an infected individual. The droplets reach the
alveoli of the lungs where the bacilli can be deposited (4). Alveolar
macrophages ingest the tubercle bacilli and destroy most of them.
Some can multiply within the macrophage and be released when the
macrophage dies. From there, the bacilli can spread to other regions
of the body through the bloodstream. The areas in which TB is most
likely to develop are: the apex of the lung, the kidneys, the brain,
bones and lymph nodes. This process of dissemination prepares the
immune system for a reaction (2).
In most infected individuals, the response from the immune system
kills most of the bacilli. At this stage, a latent TB infection has been
created, which may be detected by using the Mantoux tuberculin
skin test (see below). Within weeks after infection, the immune
system is usually able to halt the multiplication of the tubercle
bacilli, preventing further progression. Most people recover
completely from an initial infection, and the bacteria eventually die
off (3,4). In some people, the tubercle bacilli overcome the defenses
of the immune system and begin to multiply, resulting in the
advancement to active TB disease. This process may occur shortly
after infection or several years later (5).
6. DIAGNOSIS
The Mantoux tuberculin skin test, also known as the PPD (purified
protein derivative) test, is used to detect TB infection. It is
performed by injecting a small amount of tuberculin, a complex of
purified M. tuberculosis proteins, into the skin of the arm. The
reaction formed on the arm determines the result of the test. A
positive reaction for TB infection only reports that a person has been
infected with TB bacteria. It does not tell whether or not the person
has active disease. Other tests, inclluding a chest x-ray and a
sample of sputum, are needed to determine whether the person has
active disease (6). In pulmonary TB, lesions on x-rays are often seen
in the apical segments of the upper lobe or in the upper segments of
the lower lobe. However, lesions may appear anywhere in the lungs,
especially in HIV-positive and other immunosuppressed persons (1).
An abnormal chest x-ray may indicate TB infection which is then
confirmed or not by additional tests. Chest x-rays may be used to
rule out the possibility of pulmonary TB in a person who has a
positive reaction to the tuberculin skin test and no symptoms of
disease. Persons suspected of having pulmonary TB generally will
have sputum specimens examined by acid-fast bacilli smear and
culture. Detection of acid-fast bacilli in stained smears examined
microscopically may provide the first clear evidence of the presence
of M. tuberculosis. Positive cultures for M. tuberculosis are used to
confirm the diagnosis of TB (6).
TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS
M. tuberculosis is a very slow-growing, intracellular organism.
Consequently, treatment requires the use of multiple drugs for
several months (5). With appropriate antibiotic treatment, TB can be
cured in most people. Treatment usually combines several different
antibiotic drugs that are given for at least 6 months, sometimes for
as long as 12 months. However, many M. tuberculosis strains are
resistant to one or more of the standard TB drugs, which complicates
treatment greatly (3)
Currently, there are 10 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration for the treatment of TB. Of the approved drugs,
isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide
(PZA) are considered first-line antituberculosis agents. These four
drugs form the foundation of initial courses of therapy
Drug-resistant TB is major problem for the treatment of the disease.
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), is defined as disease caused by TB
bacilli resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most
powerful anti-TB drugs (7). MDR-TB is intrinsically resistant to drugs
but its resistance can be exacerbated by inconsistent or partial
treatment. When patients do not take all their medicines regularly
for the required period because they start to feel better, drugresistant bacteria can arise. While drug-resistant TB is generally
treatable, it requires extensive chemotherapy (up to two years of
treatment) with second-line anti-TB drugs. These second line drugs
produce more severe adverse drug reactions more frequently than
the preferred first line drugs. There are six classes of second-line
drugs used for the treatment of TB.
Within the last few years a new form of TB has emerged, extensively
drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). Whereas regular TB and even MDR TB
progress relatively slowly, XDR TB progresses much more rapidly
and can be fatal within months or even a few weeks. XDR-TB is
defined as TB that has developed resistance to at least rifampin and
isoniazid, as well as to any member of the fluoroquinolone family
and at least one of the aminoglycosides or polypeptides. The
emergence of XDR-TB, particularly in settings where many TB
patients are also infected with HIV, poses a serious threat to TB
control (7).
Currently, short course Direct Observation Therapy (DOTS) is a key
component of the World Health Organization's campaign to stop TB.
DOTS involves patient case management by trained health
professionals who ensure that the patient is taking his/her TB drugs
(7,8). Because TB has such a long course of treatment, many
patients stop their medications prematurely. DOTS sends health
professionals to the patient to ensure s/he is taking the medication
and may also supply the medicine to the patient. In some areas,
patients come to the DOT clinic instead of the health worker
traveling to them (7,8). Often, DOTS provides enablers or incentives
to ensure patients continue their treatment, such as transportation
or free meals. DOTS also tries to support TB patients (7,8). DOTS has
9. References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009) "Division of
Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE)", <HTTP: default.htm tb www.cdc.gov>
2. American Lung Association (2009) "Tuberculosis (TB)" <HTTP:
content3.aspx?c="dvLUK9O0E&b=2060731&content_id={500317602D7C-4FFF-AD75-4C49BDD1CD7D}¬oc=1"
nlnet
apps
site
www.lungusa.org>
3. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (2009),
"Tuberculosis
(TB)" http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/tuberculosis/
4. Harries A.D. and C. Dye (2006) "Tuberculosis," Ann Trop Med
Parasitology 100:415-431.
5. Goodman A, and M. Lipman (2008) "Tuberculosis," Clinical
Med. 8:531-534.
6. Nahid P., M. Pai and P.C. Hopewell (2006) "Advances in the diagnosis
and treatment of tuberculosis," Proc Amer Thoracic Soc 3:103-110.
7.
World
Health
Organization
(2009)
Tuberculosis
(TB) http://www.who.int/tb/en/
8. Frieden, T.R. and J.A. Sbarbaro (2007) "Promoting adherence to
treatment of tuberculosis: The importance of direct observation," Bull
World
Health
Org. 85 2007,
420. http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/5/06038927/en/index.html
325-
1. La Enfermedad
La tuberculosis (TB) es una enfermedad causada por la infeccin de
la bacteria M. tuberculosis. Si no se trata adecuadamente, la TB
puede ser mortal (1). En la actualidad, la Organizacin Mundial de la
Salud estima que ms de 13 millones de personas tienen TB y cerca
de 1,5 millones mueren cada ao por esta enfermedad. La
tuberculosis afecta ms comnmente a los pulmones (tuberculosis
pulmonar). Los pacientes con TB pulmonar activa por lo general
tienen una tos, una radiografa de trax anormal y son infecciosos.
TB tambin puede ocurrir fuera de los pulmones (extrapulmonares),
ms comnmente en el sistema nervioso central, linftico, o
genitourinario, o en los huesos y articulaciones (1). La tuberculosis,
que se produce disperso por todo el cuerpo se conoce como la
tuberculosis miliar. TB extrapulmonar es ms comn en personas
inmunodeprimidas y en los nios pequeos (2).
5. Diagnstico
La prueba de la tuberculina Mantoux, tambin conocida como la
prueba de PPD (derivado proteico purificado), se utiliza para
6. TRATAMIENTO