Mycobacterium

Tuberculosis is often seen as a threat of the past. But it remains a significant concern worldwide, with international travel spreading the disease. While tuberculous is rare in Australia, and we no longer routinely vaccinate against it, clusters of cases in South Australia over the past 17 months have put health authorities on alert. So what exactly is tuberculosis, how is it treated and what is Australia doing to prevent its transmission?

It starts as a respiratory infection

• Tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, starts as a respiratory infection when inhaled.
• Once in the lungs, the immune system responds by forming granulomas, clusters of immune cells (mainly macrophages and T cells), in an attempt to contain the infection.

Early treatment is key

• Early diagnosis and treatment reduces the infectious period and helps prevent spreading the disease to others.
• Delayed treatment can lead to complications such as lung damage and scarring; damage to the bones, kidneys, lymph nodes and central nervous system; and infection in the brain and spinal cord.
• Antibiotic treatment, often involving multiple drugs, is highly effective at eliminating the bacteria.

Tackling drug-resistant bacteria

• The Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria can quickly become resistant to antibiotics, so routine treatment includes multiple antibiotics which increases adverse effects.
• The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis strains is a major concern because it makes treatment significantly more challenging and costly.

Who is susceptible to tuberculosis?

• Children are also at greater risk of tuberculosis, as their immune systems are still developing.
• However, the World Health Organization estimates 11% of the 10.6 million tuberculosis cases worldwide are in children.
• Some 14% of all tuberculosis-related deaths occur in children under 15 years old.

What can we do about TB?

• The Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine provides partial protection, primarily against severe forms of tuberculosis.
• It’s not routinely given in Australia because we’re not considered a high-risk country, but it’s given in local regions with tuberculosis outbreaks.
• Visa applicants aged 11 years and over must have a chest X-ray for evidence of active tuberculosis.

• Pet ownership is at an all-time high, with a recent survey finding 69% of Australian households have at least one pet.
• We spend an estimated A$33 billion every year on caring for our fur babies.
• But some, such as pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems, are at greater risk of getting sick from animals.

What diseases can pets carry?

• Infectious diseases that move from animals to humans are called zoonotic diseases or zoonoses.
• Zoonoses can be transmitted directly from pets to humans, such as through contact with saliva, bodily fluids and faeces, or indirectly, such as through contact with contaminated bedding, soil, food or water.
• Both dogs and cats are also reservoirs for methicillin-resistant bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with close contact with pets identified as an important risk factor for zoonotic transmission.
• Read more:
  Cats carry diseases that can be deadly to humans, and it's costing Australia $6 billion every year

Birds, turtles and fish can also transmit disease

• Pet birds can occasionally transmit psittacosis, a bacterial infection which causes pneumonia.
• Contact with pet turtles has been linked to Salmonella infections in humans, particularly in young children.
• Even pet fish have been linked to a range of bacterial infections in humans, including vibriosis, mycobacteriosis and salmonellosis.
• Close contact with animals – and some behaviours in particular – increase the risk of zoonotic transmission.

What should I do if I’m worried about catching a disease from my pet?

There are a number of good hygiene and pet husbandry practices that can reduce your risk of becoming sick. These include:
It is especially important for those who are at a higher risk of illness to take precautions to reduce their exposure to zoonotic pathogens. And if you’re thinking about getting a pet, ask your vet which type of animal would best suit your personal circumstances.

Read more:
One in three people are infected with _Toxoplasma_ parasite – and the clue could be in our eyes

• The conference, which will be held in the city where Norwegian Dr. Gerhard Armauer Hansen made his groundbreaking finding, will also be streamed online.
• Many countries and international organizations, led by the World Health Organization, now aim to achieve zero leprosy—zero disease, zero disability and zero discrimination—.
• Achieving this goal will require close collaboration between partners, which the Bergen meeting aims to foster.
• The Bergen International Conference on Hansen's Disease: 150 Years Since the Discovery of the Leprosy Bacillus brings together key stakeholders in the leprosy field for sessions focused on medical challenges, human rights and dignity, and history preservation—the three pillars on which the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Initiative structures its activities against the disease.

• Under the terms of the license agreement TB Alliance obtains the exclusive worldwide license (except for South Korea, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries) to develop and commercialize telacebec for the treatment of tuberculosis and some non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) infections.
• We believe telacebec will greatly contribute to the global efforts to combating the TB pandemic, which remains a serious public health challenge worldwide.
• Our partnership with the TB Alliance will accelerate the widespread availability of telacebec and bring it to those in need."
• Mel Spigelman, MD, President and CEO of TB Alliance, said "TB Alliance is excited to partner with Qurient to bring about the next generation of TB cures.