Communicable diseases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communicable diseases - Essay Example Approximately 2 billion persons in the world are infected with TB. In the United States (US) for instance, almost 15 million people are infected with TB. When it becomes active, TB kills 60% of the people who do not quest for medication. This percentage correlates with 3 million deaths experienced worldwide every year. In the US, approximately 20,000 TB infections take place every year (Denholm, Eisen, McBryde & Street, 2012). TB has treatment; when treated, about 90% of the active TB patients survive. Various governments including the federal government of Canada are working towards reducing the incidence, as well as the burden of TB. Among the efforts put by Canada include conducting investigations in order to enhance early detection as well as treatment of individuals having TB so as to control the spread of the disease. â€Å"Early detection as well as treatment of individuals with latent TB infection who are at high risk of progression to active TB disease† (Tuberculosis, 2012) is also one of the key component of not only an effective TB prevention, but also control program. The occurrence and spread of TB are highly influenced by social determinants related to health. In connection with this assertion, many governments are championing collaborative actions so as to address the risk factors for TB. According to Public Health Agency of Canada (2014), the environmental factors related to TB include overcrowding housing, poor ventilation as well as homelessness. Additionally, the Public Health Agency of Canada also claims that unsanitary living conditions, as well as lower income levels, contribute significantly to the occurrence and spread of TB. In connection with CDC assertion, it is evident that overcrowding as well as poor ventilation exposes people to fluids containing the TB bacterium. As introduced above, it is clear that TB is regarded as a â€Å"disease of the poor and socially disadvantaged† (Chandler,