About Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is infection of the lung that causes by a germ called mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is more often attack the lung, but also it can damage other parts of our body (brain, vertebra, gastrointestinal system, lymph)

Despite the fact that TB rates have declined in both sexes in the United States, certain differences exist. TB rates in women decline with age, but, in men, rates increase with age. Men are more likely to have a positive tuberculin skin test result.

In the United States, more than 60% of TB cases occur in persons aged 25-64 years; however, the age-specific risk is highest in persons older than 65 years

Tuberculosis is the most causes of infection diseases related mortality in the world. The case-fatality rate for TB was 50% for untreated patients before the advent of antibiotic therapy. TB-related deaths worldwide are estimated at 3 million per year. In the United States, the mortality rate of TB dropped from 12.4 deaths per 100,000 population in 1953 to 0.2 deaths per 100,000 population in 2004; this is approximately 4% per newly identified case. Read the rest of this entry »