Unit 12C:
P:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB):
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection which is spread when a person inhales the droplets from
the coughs or sneezes of someone who is infected. TB is caused by Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. TB can affect any part of the body, but it mainly focuses on the lungs. TB is
generally curable; a patient will be prescribed a minimum of a six month course of
combined antibiotics to be taken orally (this is if they have been diagnosed with active
pulmonary tb and are displaying symptoms. Oral treatments are medicines that are taken
by mouth. The antibiotic combination consists of two antibiotics, isoniazid, and rifampicin,
for 6 months and an addition of another two antibiotics, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, to
be taken for the first two months of the six month treatment period. Adults should take
15 mg/kg isoniazid 3 times a week (max. per dose 900 mg) for 6 months (initial and
continuation phases), with 450 mg rifampicin once daily for 6 months (initial and
continuation phases). They should also take 1.5 g pyrazinamide once daily for the first 2
months (initial phase) with 15 mg/kg once daily for the first two 2 months (initial phase).
The patient is advised to complete their course, to prevent the possibility of antibiotic
resistance and ensure that all the TB bacteria are eliminated. If treatment is completed
correctly, there should not be any requirements for the patient to be checked by a TB
specialist afterwards.
M:
Anti-bacterial:
Antibacterials, are medications that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. They
include a range of powerful drugs and are used to treat diseases caused by bacteria. Some
antibacterials (eg, penicillin, cephalosporin) kill bacteria outright. They may directly attack
the bacterial cell wall, which injures the cell. This means bacteria can no longer attack the
body, preventing these cells from doing any further damage within the body. Other
antibacterials (eg, tetracycline, erythromycin) block the bacteria’s growth or reproduction.
Often called bacteriostatic antibiotics, they prevent nutrients from reaching the bacteria,
which stops them from dividing and multiplying. Because millions of bacteria are needed to
continue the disease process, these antibiotics can stop the infection and give the body’s
own immune system time to attack. Antibacterial drugs are taken orally or intravenously.
Antiviral/Antiretroviral:
Antiviral drugs are a type of medication used specifically for treating viral infections. They
act by killing or preventing the growth of viruses. Successful antivirals target and disrupt a
process or structure unique to the virus, thereby preventing viral replication while
minimising harm to the patient. Antivirals target the pathogen during the five basic steps
replication cycle in order to inhibit the virus: (1) attachment and penetration of the virus
into the host cell, (2) uncoating of virus (e.g., removal of the protein surface and release of
the viral DNA or RNA), (3) synthesis of new viral components by the host cell as directed by
the virus DNA, (4) assembly of the components into new virus, and (5) release of the virus
from the host cell. Antiviral drugs are inhaled through the nose this is called nasal
administration.
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