Tuberculosis

Changed by Subhan Iqbal, 9 Oct 2020

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

Tuberculosis encompasses an enormously wide disease spectrum affecting multiple organs and body systems predominantly caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A small proportion can also be caused Mycobacterium bovis

Epidemiology

Although tuberculosis continues to be very common in developing nations, in. Around 10 million people on the earth have positive exposure to tuberculosis per year 6. In Western industrialised populations it has become uncommon but is increasing in prevalence among immunocompromised patients, particularly those with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 5% HIV patients have Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, which become clinically apparent when CD4+ counts drop to below 350 cells/mm3, typically with findings of post-primary pulmonary tuberculosis 2.

Clinical presentation

Clinical presentation will depend upon the morphology of infection and location. These are discussed in separate articles. 

History and etymology

Aristotle is usually credited as being the first to recognise the contagious nature of the disease. Discovery of the specific infectious agent, the tubercle bacillus (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), did not occur for several millennia until it was isolated by Robert Koch in 1882 4. M. tuberculosis was previously known as Koch bacillus and tuberculosis known as Koch disease 5. It was also historically known as consumption due to the severe associated weight loss.

  • -<p><strong>Tuberculosis</strong> encompasses an enormously wide disease spectrum affecting multiple organs and body systems predominantly caused by the organism <em><a href="/articles/mycobacterium-tuberculosis">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</a></em>. A small proportion can also be caused <em><a href="/articles/mycobacterium-bovis">Mycobacterium bovis</a></em>. </p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Although tuberculosis continues to be very common in developing nations, in Western industrialised populations it has become uncommon but is increasing in prevalence among immunocompromised patients, particularly those with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 5% HIV patients have <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em> infections, which become clinically apparent when CD4+ counts drop to below 350 cells/mm<sup>3</sup>, typically with findings of <a href="/articles/tuberculosis-pulmonary-manifestations-1">post-primary pulmonary tuberculosis</a> <sup>2</sup>.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Clinical presentation will depend upon the morphology of infection and location. These are discussed in separate articles. </p><ul>
  • +<p><strong>Tuberculosis</strong> encompasses an enormously wide disease spectrum affecting multiple organs and body systems predominantly caused by the organism <em><a href="/articles/mycobacterium-tuberculosis">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</a></em>. A small proportion can also be caused <em><a href="/articles/mycobacterium-bovis">Mycobacterium bovis</a></em>. </p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Although tuberculosis continues to be very common in developing nations. Around 10 million people on the earth have positive exposure to tuberculosis per year <sup>6</sup>. In Western industrialised populations it has become uncommon but is increasing in prevalence among immunocompromised patients, particularly those with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 5% HIV patients have <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em> infections, which become clinically apparent when CD4+ counts drop to below 350 cells/mm<sup>3</sup>, typically with findings of <a href="/articles/tuberculosis-pulmonary-manifestations-1">post-primary pulmonary tuberculosis</a> <sup>2</sup>.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Clinical presentation will depend upon the morphology of infection and location. These are discussed in separate articles. </p><ul>

References changed:

  • 6. Suárez I, Fünger S, Kröger S, Rademacher J, Fätkenheuer G, Rybniker J. The Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2019;116(43):729-35. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2019.0729">doi:10.3238/arztebl.2019.0729</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31755407">Pubmed</a>

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