Tuberculosis Flashcards
What is the most significantly fatal infectious disease?
TB
name the 8 countries responsible for 2/3 of global cases
India (27%), China (9%), The Philippines (6%), Pakistan (5%), Nigeria (4%), Bangladesh (4%) and South Africa (3%).
How many people worldwide are infected with TB (approximately)
2 billion
Where in the UK is the highest burden of TB?
London
Why is the incidence of TB so high in London?
due the number of immigrants from high incidence regions
How many cases of TB are seen in NHS grampian each year?
Around 30
What bacterium is responsible for TB?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
What does mycobacterium leprae cause?
Leprosy
Are mycobacterium aerobic or anaerobic?
Aerobic
Where in the lungs to mycobacterium like to live?
In the apices
Describe the unique feature of mycobacteria
Mycobacterium have a very thick, fatty cell wall which makes it resistant to acids, alkalis and detergents (acid and alcohol fast) and resistant to neutrophil and macrophage destruction
What special stain is used to identify mycobacterium?
Zn
How is TB spread?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is spread through airborne transmission M. Bovis is spread through the consumption of unpasteurised cows milk
Can TB be spread by; • Shaking hands • Sharing food • Touching surfaces • Sharing toothbrushes • Kissing
No
Describe the infective process that occurs in Tb
- TB bacteria enters the alveoli
- Macrophages recognise the TB and ingest it
- T helper cells are activated and travel from the lymph nodes to the site. The T-helper cells secrete interferon gamma and other cytokines
- Macrophages develop into epithelioid cells and Langerhans’s giant cells and create a granuloma
- The granuloma becomes centrally necrotised over time