The fact that the causative agent of tuberculosis is a pathogenic bacterium is known to many. But what is this microorganism, how is it transmitted, in what conditions does it feel most comfortable - not all modern specialists know the answers to these questions?
What is a pathogenic bacterium?
The causative agent of tuberculosis is the rod of tuberculosis. It is a thin rodlike microorganism, which in length can reach 10 microns. Although, as practice shows, the bacterial sizes usually range from 1 to 4 μm. Wand width is even less - from 0.2 to 0.6 microns. The microorganism can be straight or slightly curved. As a rule, the structure of the rod is uniform, but sometimes it is granular. Its ends are bent.
Mycobacteria are the causative agents of tuberculosis and belong to the class of schizomycetes, the family of actinomycetes. They consist of:
- cell mesh;
- cytoplasmic membrane;
- mesosomes;
- cytoplasm;
- nuclear substance - nucleotide.
Mycobacterium is a modern name. Earlier, the causative agent of tuberculosis was called Koch's wand - in honor of the scientist, who first studied it in detail and demonstrated the purity of his culture. Experiments on animals allowed Koch to prove that the nature of this pathogen is infectious.
Pathogenesis of the disease
The tuberculosis bacillus is transmitted by airborne droplets. On average, the incubation period lasts from two weeks to a month. Usually, immediately after the bacteria enter the body, a so-called small tubercle tubercle is formed in the affected tissues. It consists of large cells and leukocytes surrounding mycobacteria.
With good resistance of the immune system, tuberculosis pathogens do not go beyond the tubercle. They remain in the body, but they do not pose any danger. If the immunity is weakened, the rods begin to multiply very quickly, and the disease develops.
Resistance to environmental influences
Mycobacteria managed to adapt to life. Outside the body, they remain viable for a long time:
- in books, bacteria live two to three months;
- in the dust - a couple of weeks;
- in the cellars - up to six months;
- in poorly lit rooms with daylight - up to five months;
- in some food - butter, cheese - about a year.
In addition, the causative agent of tuberculosis can withstand high temperatures. So, at seventy degrees, the wand lives up to half an hour. Boiling will kill mycobacterium not earlier than in five minutes.
Even chemicals can not always overcome this microorganism. Accordingly, it is useless to act on it with alkalis, acids or alcohols. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that the bacterium has a very strong membrane. The last of the fat and wax-like substances is composed.
What the wand is afraid of really - sunlight. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, the causative agent of tuberculosis dies within a few minutes. And being in the sun, mycobacterium is destroyed for a maximum of half an hour.
How to deal with Koch's wand?
For a long time it was believed that it was impossible to recover from tuberculosis. Complex cases are still encountered today. To destroy mycobacteria, you need to fight for a long time and very seriously. One antibacterial drug in this case will not help. Medicines should be taken in a comprehensive and regular manner. Even during short breaks, the bacterium can develop immunity to the main active substances.
During treatment it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol and smoke. The patient's diet should include a large number of meat dishes, vegetables, fruits.