Tuberculosis

     Tuberculosis is a dangerous and highly contagious disease that can be transmitted via coughing, sneezing, and talking. It is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis and it typically attacks the lungs, but can infect other parts of the body as well. Symptoms include: severe cough, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, chills, fever, sweating, and blood in cough. An individual can have one of two different types of TB. One is the latent TB, where the host is not sick and the body is able fight off infection. Additionally, the disease does not spread to other parts of the body. On the other hand, the other type is simply called TB disease and this type can be transmitted to others and can be fatal. 
     In the early 1900s, a vaccine was created for TB. It is called Bacillus Calmette- Guerina (BCG). Vaccinations had advanced dramatically since they were first discovered many years ago. It is interesting how vaccines work because it is an attenuated form of the disease however it is not detrimental or fatal for an individual. It is intentionally weakened so that the body's immune system may be able to fight the infection and create antibodies for it. Therefore, if the person is presented with the disease the body will already have the previously made antibodies to fight the infection and prevent the person from getting sick and suffering from the illness.