| Abstract: | This article focused on the complications for medical management of airborne diseases, such as tuberculosis. The bacilli that cause tuberculosis were first isolated in 1882, by Robert Koch. It took until 1944 for breakthrough treatment of tuberculosis. In 1998, the World Health Organization (WHO) is waging a new war against the spread of tuberculosis, which has made a comeback after years of quiescence. WHO predicts that 30 million people will die of tuberculosis and 300 million will be infected by 2008. Tuberculosis is transmitted by air in coughing, sneezing, talking, or spitting. A tuberculosis infected person can easily infect an additional 10-20 people in the same year with the same strain. The re-emergence of tuberculosis infections is due to increased migration, international travel and tourism, AIDS, multi-drug resistance, and the weakening of public health care systems in both developed and developing countries. Multi-drug resistance occurs due to people's failure to take prescribed medications for the allotted time period. Treatment takes 6-8 months, but symptoms disappear after 2-3 months. People forget to take their drug regimens over such a long period. Some find costs too high for drugs or doctor visits. Tuberculosis bacilli can mutate and become resistant to new drugs if strains are not eradicated. WHO new management strategies offer a short course of treatment that must be followed up with support from medical staff. The Directly Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS) eliminates the bacteria from the body and reduces the potential for contagion. DOTS has demonstrated high cure rates and low cost ($11-40/person). |
