Eradication of TB?

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is a life threatening disease that has historically affected millions of people.  It is a contagious bacterial infection that usually occurs in the lungs.  Some risk factors of this disease include individuals who have comprised immune system, alcoholics or drug users, and HIV infected patients. This disease requires patients to take several medicines for treatment. TB is an airborne disease that is very easily transmitted especially in closed environments. Medical workers are at a heightened risk of infection.

TB has recently mutated into a superbug! Alas, these new forms of TB are called Multi-drug resistant (MD) TB and Extensively drug resistant (XDR) TB. These bugs are resistant to the main drugs used to treat patients of TB. XDR is a rare form of drug resistant TB and extremely difficult to treat. These resistant types of TB have formed because the patients taking their TB medications have misused or mismanaged the drugs. Patients mistakenly take the wrong required dosage amount or use drugs that are poor quality.

This disease does not just affect the immune system of an individual, it takes over their whole life. TB patients are not able to go to work normally because they have an infectious disease. If they are not able to go to work then their insurance will be terminated and they will have no way to pay for their several medications for treatment.  This disease could severely impact the socio-economic position of a developing country. Individuals will also be unavailable to their loved ones while going through this disease. It is seriously damaging to the quality of life.

The threat of TB is growing and continuing. TB is the second leading cause of death in the world, after HIV. About 1.3 million people died just last year. Reportedly, 10,00 deaths occurred in the United States. It is evident that this powerful infectious disease needs to be eradicated but the concern is how can it occur. In addition, XDR and MDR are more obstacles toward the eradication path.

Now the question is, how do we eradicate TB when new and stronger forms are developing?

There needs to be a global force that is educating and informing the world about TB. We need to take advantages of countries resources to make this a healthier and better world for all of us. Political leaders need to get involved because they can form special committees that are in charge of campaigns for eradication. They can also increase funding for this particular disease.

Thanks to science and research developments, alternative treatments are also being developed to treat TB. Therapeutic drug monitoring could be a solution to this disease. It’s main focus is on individually adjusting the dose of drugs.

The “Stop TB Strategy” created by the World Health Organization is trying to reduce the global burden of Tuberculosis. By 2015, they are planning to protect the vulnerable populations from TB, support development of effective tools, and reduce the socioeconomic burden of TB (“The Stop TB”, 2014). Their goal for 2050 is to eliminate TB as a public health problem. The TB strategy incorporates 6 components, which will help them to achieve their goals for 2015 and 2050.

   After hearing all this information, do you think it is possible to eradicate TB?
Stop TB Partnership This is link to the Stop TB partnership website where you can learn more about plans for the future eradicate TB

References        

  The Stop TB Strategy . (n.d.). . Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.who.int/tb/publications/2010/strategy_en.pdf?ua=1

Tuberculosis eradication program focuses on high-risk patients. (2003). Annals of Internal Medicine, 138(4), 321. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/222190497?accountid=14541

Tuberculosis (TB). (2014, January 1). WHO. Retrieved June 11, 2014, from http://www.who.int/topics/tuberculosis/en/