Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an infection that affects the lungs but can affect other parts of the body. African Americans have a higher share of tuberculosis than other races. The percentage of tuberculosis in African Americans is higher than expected based on the percentage of blacks in the United States population. The socioeconomic status, lifestyle and environmental factors can be influenced by the disease. This paper will explain why some races and gender sare affected more than other races with tuberculosis, contributing factors, symptoms, and treatment and prevention methods for tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an infection that causes small nodules called tubercles to break down healthy tissue and form pus. Tuberculosis usually affects the lungs, but it can travel to other parts of the body, such as the spine, kidneys, digestive tract, and lining of the heart. Tuberculosis can be made complicated by a type of bacterial called streptococcal infection. With the increase of African Americans with human immunodeficiency virus they can develop tuberculosis.

Most people that contract tuberculosis will never experience its symptoms. This happens because the tuberculosis bacterium usually stays dormant in the body. When the disease is dormant it will never develop into an active disease. The body will surround the tuberculin with closed sacs or cyst. When the body surrounds the tuberculin with the sacs it will contain the bacteria and prevent the spread of the infection. The bacteria will stay alive in the body but will be contained to prevent the spread of this disease.

In the active case of tuberculosis only half will become sick within three months of getting the disease. The other half of the individuals that have the active disease will suffer from the disease later in their lives. The reason why the other individuals acquire the disease is because of other diseases that weaken the body immune system. When the body...