MICROOGRANISMS

Microogranisms



Microogranisms

Tetanus

Tetanus is a bacterial infection that affects the nervous system. It is estimated that there are one million cases of tetanus per year worldwide, the majority occurring in developing countries. Neonatal tetanus is particularly dangerous, often caused by non-sterile delivery methods and incomplete vaccination. According to the WHO, over 200,000 cases/year of neonatal deaths from tetanus occurred in the year 2000. In the U.S. however, with widespread vaccination, only 50 cases of the disease occur per year

Tetanus infections are treated with antibiotics (penicillin or metronidazole) and tetanus antitoxin. The antitoxin is an immunoglobulin that neutralizes tetanospasmin. In severe cases, patients may be unable to breathe independently and they must be place on mechanical ventilation (Roberts, 2008).

The disease can be prevented using a vaccine and by hygienic and sterile wound care and childbirth. In the US, the vaccine is given as the combination vaccine DTaP at 2, 4, 6, and 15 months, and 5 years of age. A booster is then given every 10 years, or after an injury if the last booster was more than 5 years prior. Unvaccinated adults get a three injection series over seven months.

A history of past tetanus infection does not make a patient immune to another infection, so these patients must also be vaccinated. Pregnant women should be vaccinated to pass on some immunity to the newborn child, this can be done while the woman is pregnant. Other countries use different vaccine combinations, including formulations with the hepatitis A and Haemophilus influenzae B (HiB) vaccines.

Practically speaking, tetanus is prevented by thoroughly cleaning wounds, giving a booster vaccine to individuals with an unknown vaccination history, and the use of sterile instruments during childbirth.

The WHO, UNICEF, and the UNFPA are following these guidelines to reduce neonatal tetanus in developing countries. Their strategies include increased vaccination of pregnant women, vaccinating all women of child-bearing age in endemic areas, and promoting clean delivery methods.

Tuberculosis

The persistence of tuberculosis (TB) as a public health problem is as much a social phenomenon as it is a biological one. As far back as the time of Hippocrates in classical antiquity, TB was commonly referred to as “consumption” because of the characteristic deterioration of the body associated with the disease. Evidence extracted from the mummies of ancient civilizations has revealed that the TB bacillus has plagued human beings for tens of thousands of years. Still in the early 21st century, it is estimated that there are 8 to 12 million new cases of TB worldwide each year. The disease exhibits one of the highest infection rates of all known diseases (Roberts, 2008).

Leprosy

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's Disease, is a chronic infection caused by the slow growing bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy is a disfiguring disease that commonly affects the skin, peripheral nerves, and mucous membranes, but may have a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. The mild end of the spectrum, tuberculoid leprosy, consists of a small number of well demarcated, hypopigmented skin lesions with potential associated damage to near by peripheral ...