About Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a highly contagious disease caused by bacterial infection of the lungs. The organism that causes PTB is known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Transmission of the disease is spread when a person with pulmonary tuberculosis sneezes or coughs, thus, releasing droplets into the air which is then breathed in by another person. Because of the ease of transmission of this disease, people are encouraged to learn the pathophysiology of pulmonary tuberculosis in order to know how to prevent its occurrence.

Stages of Infection
There are three stages of infection in pulmonary tuberculosis - primary, latent, and active disease. People that have weak immune systems will usually exhibit symptoms of the disease one to two weeks after the microorganism enters the body. This is called primary infection. Tuberculosis-causing bacteria is normally killed by the body's immune system. Bacteria may also be absorbed by macrophages, or white blood cells. Such bacteria, however, can persist inside the macrophages and remain dormant for years, a condition that characterizes the latent infection stage. In nine out of ten affected individuals, the bacteria will no longer cause problems, but there is still the risk that the bacteria will multiply and cause tuberculosis later on, when the immune system weakens. In those with low immune status, PTB can become active and manifest with symptoms. For example, a person with a poor immune system, particularly those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome or AIDS, are prone to this. It is estimated that people with AIDS have a 5 to 10 percent chance of getting pulmonary tuberculosis if they are infected with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Transmission
Mycobacterium tuberculosis only lives among humans. The bacteria can be transmitted by a person who has pulmonary tuberculosis and is often spread through the air. So a person who touches a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis wont usually get it by mere touch. People who have active pulmonary tuberculosis contaminate the air with Mycobacterium by sneezing, coughing or simply by talking. The mycobacterium tuberculosis can remain airborne for a couple of hours. When a person breathes the infected air, there is a good chance that the said person will develop tuberculosis in the lungs. It is thus recommended that people with active tuberculosis be isolated from other individuals to avoid transmission of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Symptoms
The pathophysiology of pulmonary tuberculosis in the active stage often manifests with coughing. Many people who have been infected with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis may think

that excessive coughing may be due to smoking, fever, cold and even asthma. The cough usually produces a tiny sputum colored green or yellow in the mornings. The sputum may eventually contain streaks of blood. Other symptoms of PTB include bouts of cold sweat, fever particularly at night, fatigue and weight loss. Some patients may also experience lack of appetite and lethargy. Individuals diagnosed with PTB are often given medications for about six to nine months, and may have to be isolated to prevent further spread of the disease in the community. Their family members may also be tested for the disease and given appropriate medications to avoid contracting the disease. Compliance with treatment is of utmost importance.

Physiology

Lung volumes Regarding lung volumes, total lung capacity (TLC) includes inspiratory reserve volume, tidal volume, expiratory reserve volume, and residual volume.[3] The total lung capacity depends on the person's age, height, weight, sex, and normally ranges between 4,000 and 6,000 cm3 (4 to 6 L). For example, females tend to have a 2025% lower capacity than males. Tall people tend to have a larger total lung capacity than shorter people. Smokers have a lower capacity than nonsmokers. Lung capacity is also affected by altitude. People who are born and live at sea level will have a smaller lung capacity than people who spend their lives at a high altitude. In addition to the total lung capacity, one also measures the tidal volume, the volume breathed in with an average breath, which is about 500 cm3. For a detailed discussion of the various lung volumes, see the article on lung volumes.[4] Typical resting adult respiratory rates are 1020 breaths per minute with 1/3 of the breath time in inhalation. Human lungs are to a certain extent 'overbuilt' and have a tremendous reserve volume as compared to the oxygen exchange requirements when at rest. This is the reason that individuals can smoke for years without having a noticeable decrease in lung function while still or moving slowly; in situations like these only a small portion of the lungs are actually perfused with blood for gas exchange. As oxygen requirements increase due to exercise, a greater volume of the lungs is perfused, allowing the body to reach its CO2/O2 exchange requirements. An average human breathes around 11,000 litres of air (21% of which consists of oxygen) in one day.[5] Mucus-secreting cells, cells with tiny hairs called cilia or Cilium, and cells from the immune system line the airways and protect the lungs by trapping pollen, bacteria, viruses and dust to prevent them from entering the lungs.[6] Lung function tests include spirometry, measuring the amount (volume) and/or speed (flow) of air that can be inhaled and exhaled.

Human lung
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lung

Frontal view of lungs cut open Trachea branches into bronchi

Frontal view shows the position of the human lungs in relativity to the heart, as well as major arteries and veins

Latin Gray's MeSH

pulmo subject #240 1093 Lung

The human lungs are the organs of respiration in humans. Humans have two lungs, with the left being divided into two lobes and the right into three lobes. Together, the lungs contain approximately 2400 km (1500 mi) of airways and 300 to 500 million alveoli, having a total surface area of about 70 m2 (8,4 x 8,4 m) in adults roughly the same area as one side of a tennis court.[1] Furthermore, if all of the capillaries that surround the alveoli were unwound and laid end to end, they would extend for about 992 km (620 mi). Each lung weighs 2.5 pounds, therefore making the entire organ about 5 pounds. The conducting zone contains the trachea, the bronchi, the bronchioles, and the terminal bronchioles The respiratory zone contains the respiratory bronchioles, the alveolar ducts, and the alveoli. The conducting zone and the respiratory stuffers (but not the alveoli) are made up of airways. The conducting zone has no gas exchange with the blood, and is reinforced with cartilage in order to hold open the airways. The conducting zone warms the air to 37 degrees Celsius and humidifies the air. It also cleanses the air by removing particles via cilia located on the walls of all the passageways. The lungs are surrounded by the rib cage. The respiratory zone is the site of gas exchange with blood.

The sympathetic nervous system via noradrenaline acting on the beta receptors causes bronchodilation. The parasympathetic nervous system via acetylcholine, which acts on the M-1 muscarinic receptors, maintains the resting tone of the bronchiolar smooth muscle. This action is related, although considered distinct from bronchoconstriction. Many other non-autonomic nervous and biochemical stimuli, including carbon dioxide and oxygen, are also involved in the regulation process.

The pleural cavity is the potential space between the parietal pleura, lining the inner wall of the thoracic cage, and the visceral pleura lining the lungs. The lung parenchyma is strictly used to refer solely to alveolar tissue with respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and terminal bronchioles.[2] However, it often includes any form of lung tissue, also including bronchioles, bronchi, blood vessels and lung interstitium.[2]

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