Question

Disease Chosen: Tuberculosis in India (500 WORDS PLEASE AND KINDLY DONT ATTEMPT IF YOU WILL COPY / WRITE IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE)

Task: Commentary on the prioritisation of the disease as a public health issue for your population and comparison to its prioritisation at a global level

Answer 1

TUBERCULOSIS is one of the chronic lung disease which is affecting the lungs.

Tuberculosis is caused by the bacillus mycobacterium tuberculosis which will be spread from person to person through air droplets.

History:

Dr.Robert Koch discovered the disease in the year of 1882 on march 24th.Because of this that day is celebrated as world tuberculosis day and every year people will be educated about the impact of the disease and necessary preventive measures are taken to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.

It is estimated that this disease have been affecting the people since 3 million years.

In 18th and 19th centuries tuberculosis was like an epidemic disease in Europe and North America

Incidence:

The recent reports of tuberculosis which was given by the WHO says that

• Tuberculosis is one of the disease which is in top 10 killing diseases world wide.
• 10 million people are infected with tuberculosis by the year of 2017 and 1 million children area also infected with this disease.

Etiology:

The causative agent is mycobacterium tuberculi. this will be transmitted from person to person through the droplets which will be spread when the infected persons coughs, sneezes or speaks.

Usually this bacilli affects only lungs but it can affect other parts of the body such as stomach,bones,brain,intestines,kidneys and spine.

Signs an symptom:

• loss of appetite and weight loss
• chills,fever and night sweats
• severe cough lasts for 3 or more weeks
• chest pain
• fatigue

Diagnosis:

Can be diagnosed by doing the physical examination-abnormal lung sounds can be heard.

Most common test is sputum samples are collected and observed under the microscope.

Mantoux test also helps in detecting disease by injecting the extract of bacilli which will be observed again after 2-3 days.

Other than these regular blood investigations and chest X ray can also be done.

Treatment:

Tuberculosis is a curable and also preventable disease.

It can be treated with 4 antimicrobial drugs for 6 months by DOTS-directly observed treatment short course.

Prevention:

-BCG vaccination immediately after birth of the child

-covering the mouth and nose or mask in order to prevent the spread of the bacilli.

-taking nutritious diet

-maintaining good environment around the home.

PRIORITISING TUBERCULOSIS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND GLOBAL ISSUE

• Tuberculosis is affecting the mankind for more than 4000 years and incidence of this disease is high according to the WHO report.
• One third of the world wide population are affected with tuberculosis.
• Mostly the spread takes place when the person fails to take proper precautions during coughing and sneezing etc.The mode of transmission is also easy.
• People may fail to detect or diagnosing may take time by that the infection might have spread to others.
• Because of its prolonged treatment the people may fail to take the treatment continuously which will end up with multi drug resistance tuberculosis.
• There is a more chance of associated or co-infections because of poor immunity, especially the common co infection with TB is HIV AIDS.
• Once the person develops multi drug resistance or develops some other co infections will become difficult to treat where there will be more chances of morbidity and mortality

Because of all these issues Tuberculosis is considered as a public issue as well as global issue.

In order to prevent the spread WHO have taken so many programmes to create awareness among the individuals.

This year the theme is "Its time" which means that TB need to end and also managed by creating awareness regarding prevention and management.

All these can be done all health care workers those who are working at hospitals as well as community.