Tuberculosis
Updates to Article Attributes
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 TB 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 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.
History and etymology
Aristotle is usually credited as being the first to recognize the contagious nature of the disease. Discovery of the specific infectious agent, the tubercle bacillus (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), did not occur for several more centuries 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.
-<p><strong>Tuberculosis</strong> encompasses an enormously wide disease spectrum 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 TB 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 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">post-primary pulmonary tuberculosis</a> <sup>2</sup>.</p><h4>History and etymology</h4><p><strong>Aristotle</strong> is usually credited as being the first to recognize the contagious nature of the disease. Discovery of the specific infectious agent, the tubercle bacillus (<em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em>), did not occur for several more centuries until it was isolated by <strong>Robert Koch</strong> in 1882 <sup>4</sup>. <em>M. tuberculosis</em> was previously known as <strong>Koch bacillus</strong> and tuberculosis known as <strong>Koch disease</strong><sup> 5</sup>. </p>- +<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 TB 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 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">post-primary pulmonary tuberculosis</a> <sup>2</sup>.</p><h4>History and etymology</h4><p><strong>Aristotle</strong> is usually credited as being the first to recognize the contagious nature of the disease. Discovery of the specific infectious agent, the tubercle bacillus (<em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em>), did not occur for several more centuries until it was isolated by <strong>Robert Koch</strong> in 1882 <sup>4</sup>. <em>M. tuberculosis</em> was previously known as <strong>Koch bacillus</strong> and tuberculosis known as <strong>Koch disease</strong><sup> 5</sup>. </p>
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