Last Updated on January 8, 2024
What is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a bacterium that causes the disease Tuberculosis (also known as TB). These bacteria are put into the air when a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. While M. Tuberculosis bacteria usually attack the lungs, they can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.
Preventing Tuberculosis
In many countries, TB is much more common than in the United States. Travelers should avoid close contact or prolonged time with known TB patients in crowded, enclosed environments (for example, clinics, hospitals, prisons, or homeless shelters).
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producing ultraviolet wavelengths at 254 nanometers, the region of germicidal effectiveness most destructive to harmful microorganisms including Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. Germicidal Ultraviolet (UV-C) air disinfection will inactivate M. Tuberculosis bacteria at the dosage listed below, reducing the risk of TB disease transmission.
Read this Rensselaer Polytechnic article , “Controlling Tuberculosis Transmission with Ultraviolet Irradiation,” featuring our Hygeaire® UV-C Indirect Fixture.
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Classification & Germicidal UV Dose for Inactivation
| Organism: | Alternate Name: | Type: | Disease: | UV Dose*: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mycobacterium Tuberculosis | M. tuberculosis | Bacteria | Tuberculosis (TB) | 10.00 mJ/cm2 |
Who can it affect?
People (Especially those described below)
Where can it be found?
Contaminated Respiratory Droplets
What can it infect?
Lungs
How does it spread?
Inhaling Contaminated Droplets
People at High Risk for Developing TB Disease
About 5 to 10% of infected persons who do not receive treatment for latent TB infection will develop TB disease at some time in their lives. People at high risk for developing TB disease are:
- Close contacts of a person with infectious TB disease
- People who have immigrated from areas of the world with high rates of TB
- Children less than 5 years of age who have a positive TB test
- Groups with high rates of TB transmission (homeless, injection drug users, and those with HIV)
- People with weak immune systems, especially those with any of the following conditions:
- HIV infection (the virus that causes AIDS)
- Substance abuse
- Silicosis
- Diabetes mellitus
- Severe kidney disease
- Low body weight
- Organ transplants
- Head and neck cancer
- Medical treatments such as corticosteroids or organ transplant
- Specialized treatment for rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s disease
Tuberculosis Symptoms
According to the CDC , tuberculosis bacteria usually grows in the lungs, and may cause the following symptoms:
- a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
- pain in the chest
- coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
Symptoms in other parts of the body depend on the area affected. Other possible symptoms of TB disease:
- weakness or fatigue
- weight loss
- no appetite
- chills
- fever
- sweating at night
Sources on Mycobacterium Tuberculosis:
The above information can be found on the following page. Please read complete article to learn more.
- CDC: Basic TB Facts
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Controlling Tuberculosis Transmission with Ultraviolet Irradiation
* Nominal germicidal UV dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganism. See sources below.
- “The Use of Ultraviolet Light for Microbial Control”, Ultrapure Water, April 1989.
- James E. Cruver, Ph.D., “Spotlight on Ultraviolet Disinfection”, Water Technology, June 1984.
- Dr. Robert W. Legan, “Alternative Disinfection Methods-A Comparison of UV and Ozone”, Industrial Water Engineering, Mar/Apr 1982.
- Myron Lupal, “UV Offers Reliable Disinfection”, Water Conditioning & Purification, November 1993.
- John Treij, “Ultraviolet Technology”, Water Conditioning & Purification, December 1995.
- Bak Srikanth, “The Basic Benefits of Ultraviolet Technology”, Water Conditioning & Purification, December 1995.
Learn More & Shop Our Products to Inactivate Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
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