Two diseases caused by mycobacteria, Tuberculosis and Leprosy, not only are they quintessential in the history of infectious diseases and humanity, but have survived the passing of the centuries still affecting millions around the world. Being present this long with humankind, it is no surprise how much they have been represented in cultures across the globe, immersing in the life and folklore, especially amongst the less fortunate, as these are two diseases heavily associated with poverty.

Fig. 1.

This association is sadly not unidirectional, with the disease limiting the affected individuals, not only biologically but socially, as they become victims of stigma and discrimination, unable to transit, interact, being hired, or continue working. This vicious cycle affects these patients negatively in ways not limited to their psychological or monetary welfare. Unable to transit, by lack of money or because of ostracism, they fail to adhere to their treatment compliance, adding tremendous consequences to their prognosis, which could result in death in the case of extreme-drug resistant tuberculosis. Mycobacteria are slow growing bacteria that have to be treated using a combination of antibiotics for long periods of time. Less than optimal adherence and compliance to the treatment leads to the appearance of drug resistance, which sadly has a very poor prognosis and high mortality.

Coming from a developing country where these two diseases are endemic, I am conscious of how much the social aspects can affect our strategies to fight against them. It is our mission as scientists and physicians to always consider the social implications of an illness. Increase awareness of neglected infectious diseases, advocating for human rights, fighting poverty, and applying available advances of medicine and science should be part of everyone’s endeavor to eradicate tuberculosis and leprosy in our time.

Jorge Cervantes
Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, USA

Publication

Tuberculosis. Digging deep in the soul of humanity.
Cervantes J
Respir Med. 2016 Oct

Read offline:     

Related Articles:

	Perspectives for anti-tuberculosis therapy with additional… Generally, antibiotic therapies use single antibiotics to combat sensitive bacteria. The standard of antituberculosis therapy includes four antibacterial agents that all have different modes of activities in the initial phase…
	Can reports of a homicide committed by a person with… Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder in which a combination of hallucinations and delusions lead the person to interpret reality abnormally. On May 29th 2009, a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia killed…
	Poverty may affect the developing brain through chronic… Socioeconomic disadvantage, which is prevalent in the United States and worldwide, is consistently associated with lower academic achievement and higher risk for emotional and behavioral problems. Exposure to socioeconomic disadvantage…
	Rapid monitoring of the impact of polymicrobial infections… The development of bacterial infections is a major challenge as pathogenic bacteria spread through healthcare facilities where patients may come in contact with complex bacterial communities heavily colonizing on hospital…
	Murburn concept explains why oxygen is acutely needed to… Murburn concept (from “mured burning”, signifying a restricted uncontrolled oxidative process) provides a tangible rationale why oxygen is so quintessential for immediate maintenance of life-order. It postulates that oxygen-centered diffusible…
	Global climate change and mental health In the past decade, several empirical studies and systematic reviews of the literature have documented the mental health impacts of global climate change.  However, the range of impacts and their…