Blog #1 MDR TB

In listening to the pod cast by Dr. Oeltmann I learned a lot of intersting facts about MDR TB. I also found out new and good to know information about this recurring disease that is popping up more and more now days. The main topics of this pod cast were the increase and dangers of MDR TB. Doctor Oeltmann talks about how important it is to follow your medication disbursement when diagnosed with TB. When one does not take the medication regularly the disease spreads rapidly, then when you go to take the medicine it is harder to treat the disease.

Oeltmann also talked about that it takes 2 years to treat. The drugs are very expensive when diagnosed with MDR TB. In the past they had a program called DOT. Which was when nurses had to watch the patients with TB take there medication. They had to do this every day so they would visually see them take it, and it was in order to prevent further precautions like getting MDR TB.

We should be concerned about MDR TB, because there have been 45 reported cases in the US and the disease can spread rapidly if not treated. Also because it is resistant to at least two of the top drugs to treat TB. I am concerned because this can be a deadly disease if not treated and because it is a recurring one.

I think TB has effected the treatment and management of other diseases in many ways. Some of them being that once one has TB they are more likely to regularly take their medication so it will not turn in to the very dangerous MDR TB. With the program DOT it has limited the number of cases of TB becoming MDR TB.