Discovered by : Robert Koch
Discovered in year : 1882
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis is a type of bacteria that causes Tuberculosis (TB). It is a contagious, wasting disease caused by any of several mycobacteria. The most common form of the disease is tuberculosis of the lungs (pulmonary consumption, or phthisis), but the intestines, bones and joints, the skin, and the genitourinary, lymphatic, and nervous systems may also be affected. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been present in the human population since ancient times. Fragments of the spinal column from Egyptian mummies from 2400 BCE show definite pathological signs of tubercular decay.
There are three major types of tubercle bacilli that affect humans.
- The Human Type (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is spread by people themselves. It is the most common one.
- The Bovine Type (M. bovis) is spread by infected cattle but is no longer a threat in areas where pasteurization of milk and the health of cattle are strictly supervised.
- The Avian Type (M. avis) is carried by infected birds but can occur in humans. The tubercle bacillus can live for a considerable period of time in air or dust. The most common means of acquiring the disease is by inhalation of respiratory droplets.
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician and scientist. He was born on December 11, 1843, at Clausthal in the Upper Harz Mountains. He was a son of a mining engineer. In 1862 he went to the University of Göttingen to study medicine. In 1870 he volunteered for service in the Franco-Prussian war and from 1872 to 1880 he was District Medical Officer for Wollstein. It was here that he carried out the epoch-making researches which placed him at one step in the front rank of scientific workers. He presented his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB), on the evening of March 24, 1882 the most important in medical history. The discovery was so innovative, inspirational and thorough that it set the stage for the scientific procedures of the twentieth century.
Development in the Discovery of Tuberculosis
After Koch's discovery, many attempts were made over the years to find a compound that could stop the growth of TB bacteria. In 1910, a German scientist named Paul Ehrlich discovered a chemical that could kill the micro-organism that causes another disease, syphilis, and effectively treat that disease. This initiated the search for other chemical substances which could destroy disease-causing micro-organisms.
In 1935, another German scientist named Gerhard Domagk published a report on the use of "Prontosil," an organic compound containing sulfur (sulfanilamide), for treatment of bacterial infections. Prontosil, and derivatives of it, had some effect on TB bacteria in laboratory studies, but only in concentrations that would be poisonous to humans.
In 1943, an American named Selman Waksman, together with his co-workers, discovered that a fungus called Streptomyces griseus produced an antibiotic substance which they named "streptomycin. Unfortunately, TB bacteria were becoming resistant to streptomycin. In 1943, another drug called para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) was developed. When this drug was used together with streptomycin it prevented the TB bacteria from becoming resistant. However, the patient had to use the drugs for periods of months in order to be cured. Another drug called "isoniazid," a derivative of a compound researched earlier by Domagk, was developed in 1952 which also found its place in TB therapy.
The Role of Discovery of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in the Improvement Of Human Life
- It's discovery lead to a better understanding of Tuberculosis and it's cure and prevention
- Further research lead to a better knowledge of diseases and their treatments
- It helped a lot in improvement in the health of human population
- It also increased the longevity of human life
