The History Of Tuberculosis

Throughout many years tuberculosis has atrociously affected the lives of many people. Many have suffered a horrible death due to this horrid disease. Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease due to mycobacterium tuberculosis, which initiated about one hundred fifty million years ago. Skeletal abnormalities typical for tuberculosis were found in Egyptian mummies back in 2400 BC. In ancient Greece the Greeks seemed very familiar with tuberculosis only they called it Phtisis. Many years later a disease that was called “ scrofula” was described to be a certain form of tuberculosis. It was referred to as “king’s evil” in England and France, and they believed it could be cured by a royal touch. This practice was put to an end in the year 1714.

In the late 1800s a famous scientist known as Robert Koch was able to isolate the tubercle bacillus and was able to reproduce the disease. Due to this amazing discovery the Pirquet and Mantoux skin test was discovered along with a BCG vaccine and anti-tuberculosis drugs. (Journal of preventative medicine and hygiene) Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air from one person to another causing it to be an airborne disease. When a person with tuberculosis coughs or sneezes the bacteria fly into the air. Anyone around a person with tuberculosis who is not wearing proper personal protective equipment, and breathes in the bacteria will then catch tuberculosis. Tuberculosis mainly affects the lungs, but it can

Tuberculosis cannot be spread by shaking someone’s hand, kissing, or sharing drinks. Once the individual breathes in the tuberculosis bacteria it goes into the lungs. From there it can spread to the spine, brain, and kidneys. Tuberculosis however is not passed along through genetics. It can only be passed along through airborne contact.