Tuberculosis The most dangerous infectious disease

World Tuberculosis Day: Experts warn of the deadly infectious disease

25/03/2011

On the occasion of yesterday's World Tuberculosis Day, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has pointed out that tuberculosis also remains a serious disease in Germany. Although the number of illnesses in Germany has been declining for years, the trend has slowed significantly and there is a threat of a resurgence of tuberculosis cases, warned the RKI.

Every year on the 24th of March, the World Tuberculosis Day takes place to inform the public about the world's most dangerous infectious disease. The date is no coincidence, because on March 24, 1882 Robert Koch discovered the tuberculosis bacterium and laid the foundation for medical treatment. At that time, tuberculosis was even more prevalent in Europe and America and around one in seven deaths was caused by tuberculosis. Today, the situation in Germany is much more harmless, but still dying more than a hundred people per year in this country of tuberculosis, thousands of sick, warned the RKI on yesterday's World Tuberculosis Day.

Tuberculosis is the world's deadliest infectious disease
To date, tuberculosis is relatively widespread, especially in Asia, Africa and the Eastern European countries. Every year, around nine million people contract tuberculosis and 1.7 million people die each year as a result of the infection. In Germany, on the other hand, the number of illnesses has been declining for years. However, according to the RKI according to the decreasing trend has slowed down significantly in this country. While the number of tuberculosis illnesses originally decreased by almost ten percent annually, only two percent fewer tuberculosis cases were reported in Germany last year than in the previous year, said the RKI. Tuberculosis remains with about 4,500 diseases and about 150 deaths annually in Germany a serious illness, warned the President of the RKI, Reinhard Burger.

Symptoms of tuberculosis
The experts also used the World Tuberculosis Day to sensitize the public to the symptoms of tuberculosis. Most occur as a consumption or „the moths“ known disease as infection of the lung, wherein persistent cough, chronic fatigue, weight loss, fever with nocturnal sweat attacks and a sting in the chest can be signs of tuberculosis. Anyone who detects such symptoms should urgently consult a doctor, as untreated tuberculosis in about 50 percent of the cases will result in the death of those affected, warned the RKI. Tuberculosis is usually transmitted by droplet infection, in which infected people expel through coughing tiny, droplets containing pathogens that infect their fellow man. With bad hygiene and in a small space according to the RKI the risk of infection is particularly high.

Threatens a resurgence of tuberculosis diseases?
Although tuberculosis usually occurs as a bacterial infection of the lungs, the pathogens can also affect other organs such as the urinary tract, meninges, bones, genitals or the digestive tract. In the opinion of the RKI President in Germany, the lack of experience of doctors in dealing with tuberculosis is particularly critical. Due to the significantly reduced number of tuberculosis disease, many doctors lack the routine in dealing with the infectious disease, which can lead to problems in diagnosis and treatment. According to RKI, it is also problematic that the pathogens have now developed resistance to some antibiotics, which makes the therapy considerably more difficult. In addition, although the diseases continue to decline, but about 30 percent of pulmonary tuberculosis are now a particularly contagious type. Overall, there are indications that a resurgence of tuberculosis diseases is also threatening in this country, the RKI president warned. On the occasion of yesterday's World Tuberculosis Day, Burger called for continuing medical training to ensure improved diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis disorders. (Fp)

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Picture: Aka