MEDICAL

Tuberculosis is an infectious, communicable disease caused by a germ. It primarily attacks the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body such as the bones, kidneys and brain. Usually TB gives no early warning signals.
Symptoms may not be noticed at first or even at all. However, if left untreated, and your [...]

In spite of the fact that the private health sector has grown considerably in the last few decades, information on the extent and role of the private sector in tuberculosis care tends to be very sparse. Limited literature is available, especially from Pakistan, on the subject of knowledge and practices of private medical practitioners in [...]

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease of cattle that occasionally affects other species of mammals. This disease is a significant zoonosis that can spread to humans, typically by the inhalation of aerosols or the ingestion of unpasteurized milk. In developed countries, eradication programs have reduced or eliminated tuberculosis in cattle, and human disease is [...]

About one million children develop tuberculosis (TB) annually worldwide, accounting for about 11% of all TB cases. Children with TB differ from adults in their immunological and pathophysiological response in ways that may have important implications for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of TB in children. There is an urgent need to improve the diagnosis [...]

Transmitted-light fluorescence microscopy proved to be a valuable technology for observation of Auramine O stained Micobacterium tuberculosis. The use of a high power solid-state (LED) source enabled increased performance, significantly increased light source lifetime, reduction of initial costs and operating costs, and reduction of maintenance and heat production. And, a rechargeable battery pack permits diagnosis [...]

The overall goals for treatment of tuberculosis are 1) to cure the individual patient, and 2) to minimize the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to other persons. Thus, successful treatment of tuberculosis has benefits both for the individual patient and the community in which the patient resides. For this reason the prescribing physician, be he/she in [...]

Pre-antibiotic era
A. Sanatorium movement
1. Rest
2. Fresh air
3. Good food
4. Sunlight
B. Surgical approaches (removal of lung, collapse, ping-pong ball installation)
C. Mortality rates of about 50% of cases in 5 years, for those who were smear-positive
Chemotherapy
A. First drugs effective against tuberculosis (TB)
Streptomycin in 1944
P.A.S. in 1949
Isoniazid (INH) in 1952
B. Very early it was learned that TB must [...]

Despite the dramatic decline in the number of reported cases of tuberculosis (TB) in New York City, many New Yorkers remain at high risk for developing active tuberculosis disease, once infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Groups at especially high risk include contacts of persons with active tuberculosis, HIV-infected persons, individuals with certain predisposing medical conditions, and [...]

Contents
Case detection
1. What is the role of case detection in tuberculosis control?1 F. Luelmo 3
2. What is a case of tuberculosis?1 F. Luelmo 5
3. What is the role of sputum microscopy in patients attending health facilities? F. Luelmo 7
4. How many bacilli are present in a sputum specimen found positive by smear microscopy? K. Toman [...]

Compliance with the drug regimen is crucial. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has shown a propensity to mutate toward drug resistance, and defaulting patients almost invariably relapse, often with a drug-resistant strain. Re-treatment requires more expensive drugs, producing a greater financial burden for either the patient or public health care system. Moreover, defaulting5 patients remain infectious and constitute [...]

CONTENTS
Culture-negative Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Adults Summary Radiographic Evidence of Prior Tuberculosis: Introduction and Background Inactive Tuberculosis
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Organization and Supervision of Treatment
Renal Insufficiency and End-stage Renal
Role of the Health Department Disease
Promoting Adherence Hepatic Disease
Other Associated Disorders
Drugs in Current Use
First-Line Drugs Management of Relapse, Treatment Failure,
Second-Line Drugs and Drug Resistance Relapse
Principles of Antituberculosis Chemotherapy
Treatment Failure
Combination Chemotherapy [...]

TB is an ancient disease that is common in many developing countries but no longer widespread in the United States. With the advent of managed care and movement of care of patients with TB from specialty public health clinics to primary care providers, more persons with TB are likely to be seen by physicians and [...]