Unit 12C:
P:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB):
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection which is spread when a person inhales the droplets from
the coughs or sneezes of someone who is infected. TB is caused by Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. TB can affect any part of the body, but it mainly focuses on the lungs. TB is
generally curable; a patient will be prescribed a minimum of a six month course of
combined antibiotics to be taken orally (this is if they have been diagnosed with active
pulmonary tb and are displaying symptoms. Oral treatments are medicines that are taken
by mouth. The antibiotic combination consists of two antibiotics, isoniazid, and rifampicin,
for 6 months and an addition of another two antibiotics, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, to
be taken for the first two months of the six month treatment period. Adults should take
15 mg/kg isoniazid 3 times a week (max. per dose 900 mg) for 6 months (initial and
continuation phases), with 450 mg rifampicin once daily for 6 months (initial and
continuation phases). They should also take 1.5 g pyrazinamide once daily for the first 2
months (initial phase) with 15 mg/kg once daily for the first two 2 months (initial phase).
The patient is advised to complete their course, to prevent the possibility of antibiotic
resistance and ensure that all the TB bacteria are eliminated. If treatment is completed
correctly, there should not be any requirements for the patient to be checked by a TB
specialist afterwards.
M:
Anti-bacterial:
Antibacterials, are medications that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. They
include a range of powerful drugs and are used to treat diseases caused by bacteria. Some
antibacterials (eg, penicillin, cephalosporin) kill bacteria outright. They may directly attack
the bacterial cell wall, which injures the cell. This means bacteria can no longer attack the
body, preventing these cells from doing any further damage within the body. Other
antibacterials (eg, tetracycline, erythromycin) block the bacteria’s growth or reproduction.
Often called bacteriostatic antibiotics, they prevent nutrients from reaching the bacteria,
which stops them from dividing and multiplying. Because millions of bacteria are needed to
continue the disease process, these antibiotics can stop the infection and give the body’s
own immune system time to attack. Antibacterial drugs are taken orally or intravenously.
Antiviral/Antiretroviral:
Antiviral drugs are a type of medication used specifically for treating viral infections. They
act by killing or preventing the growth of viruses. Successful antivirals target and disrupt a
process or structure unique to the virus, thereby preventing viral replication while
minimising harm to the patient. Antivirals target the pathogen during the five basic steps
replication cycle in order to inhibit the virus: (1) attachment and penetration of the virus
into the host cell, (2) uncoating of virus (e.g., removal of the protein surface and release of
the viral DNA or RNA), (3) synthesis of new viral components by the host cell as directed by
the virus DNA, (4) assembly of the components into new virus, and (5) release of the virus
from the host cell. Antiviral drugs are inhaled through the nose this is called nasal
administration.
, Antiretrovirals: Antiretroviral treatments are drugs that treat HIV. HIV is treated
with antiretroviral medicines, which work by stopping the virus replicating in the body. This
allows the immune system to repair itself and prevent further damage. A combination of
HIV drugs is used because HIV can quickly adapt and become resistant. Antiretrovirals work
by binding to the HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which is essential to the
viral replication process, and therefore blocking HIV from making copies of itself.
Antiretrovirals are taken orally.
Antifungal:
Antifungal medicines are used to treat fungal infections. Antifungal medicines work by
either: killing the fungal cells – for example, by affecting a substance in the cell walls,
causing the contents of the fungal cells to leak out and the cells to die. Or by preventing the
fungal cells growing and reproducing. Antifungal drugs can be taken various ways; they can
be taken orally as a capsule or tablet; they can be given intravenously as an injection; or
they can be given as a cream, gel, ointment or spray.
Antimalarial:
Antimalarial medication is used to prevent and treat malaria. Antimalarial medication works
by killing the malaria parasites during their development stage in the liver and red blood
cells. Patients should begin taking their antimalarial before entering an area of risk to give
time to establish in your system. These drugs have activity against the erythrocytic stage of
infection; primaquine also kills intrahepatic forms and gametocytes. The drugs act by
accumulating in the parasite food vacuole and forming a complex that prevents
crystallization in the Plasmodium food vacuole. Antimalarials are taken orally.
Anthelmintic:
Anthelmintic is the term used to describe a drug used to treat infections of animals with
parasitic worms. This includes both flat worms, e.g., flukes (trematodes) and tapeworms
(cestodes) as well as round worms (nematodes). The parasites are of huge importance for
human tropical medicine and for veterinary medicine. Mebendazole, albendazole and
tiabendazole work by preventing the worms from absorbing the sugars they need for
survival. They kill the worms but not the eggs. Praziquantel and ivermectin work by
paralysing the worms in the gut (intestine). Anthelmintic drugs are mostly taken orally.
Immunoglobulin therapy:
Immunoglobulin therapy is given intravenously or as sub-cutaneous injections. – proteins
(globulins) in the body that act as antibodies. They work to protect against and fight off
infections. They are produced by specialist white blood cells (plasma cells / B-cells) and are
present in blood serum and other body fluids. When given an immunoglobulin, the body
uses antibodies from other people's blood plasma to help prevent illness. And even
though immunoglobulins are obtained from blood, they are purified so that they cannot
pass on diseases to the person who receives them.
Oral rehydration therapy:
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is a treatment for dehydration. It involves drinking a special
mixture of water, glucose and salts to return the amount of fluids, sugars and electrolytes in
the body to normal levels. (They are taken orally).
P:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB):
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection which is spread when a person inhales the droplets from
the coughs or sneezes of someone who is infected. TB is caused by Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. TB can affect any part of the body, but it mainly focuses on the lungs. TB is
generally curable; a patient will be prescribed a minimum of a six month course of
combined antibiotics to be taken orally (this is if they have been diagnosed with active
pulmonary tb and are displaying symptoms. Oral treatments are medicines that are taken
by mouth. The antibiotic combination consists of two antibiotics, isoniazid, and rifampicin,
for 6 months and an addition of another two antibiotics, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, to
be taken for the first two months of the six month treatment period. Adults should take
15 mg/kg isoniazid 3 times a week (max. per dose 900 mg) for 6 months (initial and
continuation phases), with 450 mg rifampicin once daily for 6 months (initial and
continuation phases). They should also take 1.5 g pyrazinamide once daily for the first 2
months (initial phase) with 15 mg/kg once daily for the first two 2 months (initial phase).
The patient is advised to complete their course, to prevent the possibility of antibiotic
resistance and ensure that all the TB bacteria are eliminated. If treatment is completed
correctly, there should not be any requirements for the patient to be checked by a TB
specialist afterwards.
M:
Anti-bacterial:
Antibacterials, are medications that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. They
include a range of powerful drugs and are used to treat diseases caused by bacteria. Some
antibacterials (eg, penicillin, cephalosporin) kill bacteria outright. They may directly attack
the bacterial cell wall, which injures the cell. This means bacteria can no longer attack the
body, preventing these cells from doing any further damage within the body. Other
antibacterials (eg, tetracycline, erythromycin) block the bacteria’s growth or reproduction.
Often called bacteriostatic antibiotics, they prevent nutrients from reaching the bacteria,
which stops them from dividing and multiplying. Because millions of bacteria are needed to
continue the disease process, these antibiotics can stop the infection and give the body’s
own immune system time to attack. Antibacterial drugs are taken orally or intravenously.
Antiviral/Antiretroviral:
Antiviral drugs are a type of medication used specifically for treating viral infections. They
act by killing or preventing the growth of viruses. Successful antivirals target and disrupt a
process or structure unique to the virus, thereby preventing viral replication while
minimising harm to the patient. Antivirals target the pathogen during the five basic steps
replication cycle in order to inhibit the virus: (1) attachment and penetration of the virus
into the host cell, (2) uncoating of virus (e.g., removal of the protein surface and release of
the viral DNA or RNA), (3) synthesis of new viral components by the host cell as directed by
the virus DNA, (4) assembly of the components into new virus, and (5) release of the virus
from the host cell. Antiviral drugs are inhaled through the nose this is called nasal
administration.
, Antiretrovirals: Antiretroviral treatments are drugs that treat HIV. HIV is treated
with antiretroviral medicines, which work by stopping the virus replicating in the body. This
allows the immune system to repair itself and prevent further damage. A combination of
HIV drugs is used because HIV can quickly adapt and become resistant. Antiretrovirals work
by binding to the HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which is essential to the
viral replication process, and therefore blocking HIV from making copies of itself.
Antiretrovirals are taken orally.
Antifungal:
Antifungal medicines are used to treat fungal infections. Antifungal medicines work by
either: killing the fungal cells – for example, by affecting a substance in the cell walls,
causing the contents of the fungal cells to leak out and the cells to die. Or by preventing the
fungal cells growing and reproducing. Antifungal drugs can be taken various ways; they can
be taken orally as a capsule or tablet; they can be given intravenously as an injection; or
they can be given as a cream, gel, ointment or spray.
Antimalarial:
Antimalarial medication is used to prevent and treat malaria. Antimalarial medication works
by killing the malaria parasites during their development stage in the liver and red blood
cells. Patients should begin taking their antimalarial before entering an area of risk to give
time to establish in your system. These drugs have activity against the erythrocytic stage of
infection; primaquine also kills intrahepatic forms and gametocytes. The drugs act by
accumulating in the parasite food vacuole and forming a complex that prevents
crystallization in the Plasmodium food vacuole. Antimalarials are taken orally.
Anthelmintic:
Anthelmintic is the term used to describe a drug used to treat infections of animals with
parasitic worms. This includes both flat worms, e.g., flukes (trematodes) and tapeworms
(cestodes) as well as round worms (nematodes). The parasites are of huge importance for
human tropical medicine and for veterinary medicine. Mebendazole, albendazole and
tiabendazole work by preventing the worms from absorbing the sugars they need for
survival. They kill the worms but not the eggs. Praziquantel and ivermectin work by
paralysing the worms in the gut (intestine). Anthelmintic drugs are mostly taken orally.
Immunoglobulin therapy:
Immunoglobulin therapy is given intravenously or as sub-cutaneous injections. – proteins
(globulins) in the body that act as antibodies. They work to protect against and fight off
infections. They are produced by specialist white blood cells (plasma cells / B-cells) and are
present in blood serum and other body fluids. When given an immunoglobulin, the body
uses antibodies from other people's blood plasma to help prevent illness. And even
though immunoglobulins are obtained from blood, they are purified so that they cannot
pass on diseases to the person who receives them.
Oral rehydration therapy:
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is a treatment for dehydration. It involves drinking a special
mixture of water, glucose and salts to return the amount of fluids, sugars and electrolytes in
the body to normal levels. (They are taken orally).
