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Respiratory / Airborne Infectious Disease Organisms

CAUSATIVE ORGANISM:

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Category: Bacteria

Gram RXS if bacteria: Waxy coating makes cell impervious to gram

staining, as a result it may appear Gram-negative or Gram-positive.

Instead, Acid fast staining is used, and it appears bright red after

staining.

Unique/key characteristics:

M. tuberculosis

contain large amounts of lipid substances within

their cell walls called mycolic acids which prevents the gram stain from working.

2.

DISEASE(S): Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis spreads like the flu, through the cough of a person with this life threatening

infectious disease. When these airborne water droplets contaminated with the disease are

inhaled, the bacterium begins to coexist in the lungs, where it begins to reproduce. After a

prolong time if left untreated, the disease can spread to your kidneys, spine and brain.

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3.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: People who contracted TB may experience symptoms such as a bad

cough lingering for 3 weeks or longer, coughing up blood, pain in the chest, fever, night

sweats, fatigue, night sweats, and a loss of appetite. Men seem to be more susceptible to

higher

4.

TREATMENT: A vaccine named BCG or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin can help treat TB. In the

united states, BCG isn’t recommended because of our low risk of TB and how it interferes

with tuberculin skin test reactivity. The BCG vaccine is only carefully considered when a TB

expert has consulted and approved for select people to receive treatment.

5.

PREVENTION: To reduce the risk of contracting TB, one can begin with having good

ventilation in their home. TB can last for several hours in a home without ventilation. Lots of

natural light inside your home can kill off TB bacteria. Practicing good hygiene by covering

your mouth and nose when coughing can reduce the spread of TB.