Pathogen Description
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a pathogenic bacterium that causes tuberculosis, a lung infection. This pathogen is of the bacterial type; the intracellular microorganism is a prokaryotic bacterium (Bussi & Gutierrez, 2019). As a natural reservoir, the human body serves, although according to Bierque et al. (2020), most microorganisms live in water and soil. The bacterium enters the human body through the air and cannot survive on surfaces.
To attach to host tissues, the microbe uses an intercellular algorithm where bacterial adhesins interact with host cells through lipid bonds (Bussi & Gutierrez, 2019). The following virulence factors are inherent to Mycobacterium tuberculosis: high survival rates, the production of sputum, and cytokine responses (Aguilar-López et al., 2019). The greatest likelihood of bacterial transmission between populations is through the air, and this usually occurs in limited spaces because the microbe does not survive on surfaces. In Figure 1, the pathogen cycle is depicted, illustrating the complete life cycle of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Figure 2 presents the process of detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis under the microscope.
Pathogen Identification by Signs
The most effective laboratory tests for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the body are skin and blood tests. Clinical analyses enable not only the detection of pathogen presence but also the identification of disease stage (Hamada et al., 2021). This pathogen can be cultured in the laboratory, and as a selective medium, egg- and agar-based media are often utilized (Natarajan et al., 2020).
Treatment of an Individual
Because Mycobacterium tuberculosis is resistant to many antibiotics, a limited list of antimicrobials is commonly used for treatment. Rifampicin or isoniazid are generally prescribed as the most effective antimicrobial drugs (Natarajan et al., 2020). As a preventive measure, vaccination can be carried out predominantly in young children; Bussi and Gutierrez (2019) mention the vaccine called Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), named after its creators.
Case Study
To the local emergency room, Mr. M., a 44-year-old white male, is rushed by the medical team. The primary complaints are an incessant cough and a consistently high body temperature. The patient reports that over the last month, he has experienced periodic increases in temperature in the evenings, accompanied by increased sweating and excessive fatigue. He works in a furniture assembly workshop, spending most of his time indoors. According to the results of the survey, he is an active smoker but almost does not drink alcohol. Mr. M. is not overweight and has no chronic illnesses.
The patient’s examination reveals marked chest tension. The sputum produced is dark and thick and should be checked for blood. The skin is pale, especially the face, and the forehead is covered with sweat.
Respiration is rapid and irregular, accompanied by a whistle from the lungs. As a diagnostic test, a skin test is used to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as tuberculosis is the primary diagnosis. A blood test confirms the presence of the pathogen in the body. The patient remains in the emergency department, and an antimicrobial and an antipyretic are prescribed to relieve the initial symptoms and ease breathing.
References
Aguilar‐López, B. A., Correa, F., Moreno‐Altamirano, M. M. B., Espitia, C., Hernández‐Longoria, R., Oliva‐Ramírez, J., Padierna-Olivos, J., & Sánchez‐García, F. J. (2019). LprG and PE _ PGRS 33 Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence factors induce differential mitochondrial dynamics in macrophages. Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, 89(1), e12728.
Bierque, E., Thibeaux, R., Girault, D., Soupé-Gilbert, M. E., & Goarant, C. (2020). A systematic review of Leptospira in water and soil environments. PloS One, 15(1), e0227055.
Bussi, C., & Gutierrez, M. G. (2019). Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of host cells in space and time. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, 43(4), 341-361.
Hamada, Y., Cirillo, D. M., Matteelli, A., Penn-Nicholson, A., Rangaka, M. X., & Ruhwald, M. (2021). Tests for tuberculosis infection: Landscape analysis. European Respiratory Journal, 58(5), 2100167.
Natarajan, A., Beena, P. M., Devnikar, A. V., & Mali, S. (2020). A systemic review on tuberculosis. Indian Journal of Tuberculosis, 67(3), 295-311.
Sawyer, E. B., Grabowska, A. D., & Cortes, T. (2018). Translational regulation in mycobacteria and its implications for pathogenicity. Nucleic Acids Research, 46(14), 6950-6961.
Zingue, D., Weber, P., Soltani, F., Raoult, D., & Drancourt, M. (2018). Automatic microscopic detection of mycobacteria in sputum: A proof-of-concept. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 1-6.