Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by a germ called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body. TB spreads through the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes or talks. If you think you have been exposed, you should go to your doctor for tests as soon as possible. You are more likely to get TB if you have a weak immune system.

What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a dreaded bacterial infection. It has been known to mankind since ancient ages. It was commonly called “consumption” at the turn of the last century because of the way the disease seemed to “consume” the individual it affected.

Tuberculosis Transmission

New tuberculosis technologies: importance of access in the private health sector

Tuberculosis Diagnosis

How Has The COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Tuberculosis Eradication?

Tuberculosis Causes

Tuberculosis Prognosis

What is the END TB Strategy?

Tuberculosis Screening

Tuberculosis Treatment

Tuberculosis in Animals

History of Tuberculosis

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Tuberculosis Prevention

Latest Tuberculosis News and Research

Global health progress reversing in several critical areas, WHO warns

While there have been meaningful improvements in global health over the past decade, with millions benefiting from better prevention, treatment and access to essential services, persistent and emerging challenges mean that the world remains off track to achieve any of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

13 May 2026

Common tuberculosis screening test could predict long-term patient survival

Scientists have long known that the immune system plays a key role in aging. As people age, they have weaker responses to vaccination, greater risks of infection and higher levels of inflammation.

11 May 2026

Non-invasive swab test offers fast, accurate tuberculosis detection worldwide

A portable molecular test, MiniDock MTB, detected pulmonary tuberculosis rapidly and accurately across seven high-burden countries, using sputum or tongue swab samples. The study suggests the low-cost, battery-operated platform could expand near-point-of-care TB diagnosis in low-resource settings, although real-world implementation and drug-resistance integration still need evaluation.

10 May 2026

Blood test may improve early tuberculosis detection among household contacts

Household contacts of people with tuberculosis (TB) have a high risk of getting TB themselves, at around 2 percent. It is currently difficult to detect TB in its early stages, or predict who will go on to have TB, and therefore preventive treatment is not widely used.

7 May 2026

New blood test predicts illness progression and treatment response

Scientists are developing a test which could one day be used to predict how a patient's illness will progress, and even how well they will respond to treatment.

6 May 2026

Food baskets for tuberculosis patients could save thousands of lives

Undernutrition is the single greatest modifiable risk factor for tuberculosis (TB), contributing to immune suppression, treatment failure, and death.

4 May 2026

How a common gut bacterium may protect health

Akkermansia muciniphila's impact on immunity and pregnancy outcomes underscores its promise as a probiotic, with implications for infectious disease treatment.

4 May 2026

Portable MiniDock MTB delivers tuberculosis results in thirty minutes

Drugs to treat tuberculosis have been around for more than 75 years, yet it remains the world's top infectious disease killer.

30 Apr 2026

Diatron introduces advanced RUO indices on its Aquila, Aquarius 3, Abacus 5 analyzers

Diatron, a STRATEC brand specializing in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of hematology and clinical chemistry analyzers and related reagents for human and veterinary use, expands the capabilities of its Aquila, Aquarius 3, and Abacus 5 hematology analyzers with six advanced hematological indices.

From Diatron 29 Apr 2026

New AI models quickly find compounds that target Lyme bacteria

Tufts University researchers are using AI and machine learning to more quickly identify potential narrow-spectrum antibiotics to prevent and treat Lyme disease, thanks to a generous gift from an alumnus that sped up their timeline by two to three years.

28 Apr 2026

WHO reports measurable health gains but warns of unmet goals

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its Results Report, highlighting measurable improvements in people's health worldwide in 2025, despite funding cuts affecting both the organization and the broader global health sector.

24 Apr 2026

UPV researchers develop rapid sensor for detecting active tuberculosis

A research team at UPV is leading the development of a sensor that paves the way for the rapid, selective and cost-effective detection of active tuberculosis.

20 Apr 2026

Ultrasensitive assay uncovers hidden burden of tuberculosis disease

Researchers at Boston University have discovered an unexpectedly high prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA (TB DNA) in patients hospitalized in Boston, suggesting that tuberculosis disease may be significantly underdiagnosed in the United States.

14 Apr 2026

Two new TB vaccines show safety but limited protection

Two new vaccines to prevent tuberculosis (TB) are safe for use in adults and children, but they do not offer protection against all forms of TB, finds a large trial from India published by The BMJ today.

9 Apr 2026

Researchers track how youth drinking deaths changed worldwide over 31 years

A global analysis of GBD 2021 data found that youth drinking contributed to 417,198 deaths across 194 WHO member countries and territories between 1990 and 2021, with deaths declining from 13,346 to 10,563 over the period. Boys and young men bore a far higher burden, and most alcohol-attributable deaths were linked to transport injuries, interpersonal violence, and self-harm, with marked disparities across SDI levels and countries.

6 Apr 2026

Inuit communities urge policy changes to address tuberculosis epidemic

Tuberculosis rates for Inuit living in Nunavik, the Inuit lands in northern Quebec, are 1000 times greater than among non-foreign-born Quebeckers, and underresourcing of local health care adds to hardship from the disease, found new research published in CMAJ.

6 Apr 2026

Gut-derived metabolites regulate immune cells in complex ways

Published on March 23, 2026, in Volume 2, article number 18 of the journal Immunity & Inflammation, the review begins by systematically outlining the sources and synthetic pathways of immune-relevant microbial metabolites, including bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, amino acid derivatives, vitamins, trimethylamine/trimethylamine N-oxide, and odd-chain fatty acids.

31 Mar 2026

DNASE1L2 identified as a dynamic biomarker for TB progression

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world's most serious public health threats, with approximately one-quarter of the global population infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While most infections remain latent (LTBI), individuals with LTBI are at risk of progressing to active TB and potentially becoming new sources of transmission.

31 Mar 2026

Armed conflict in Colombia significantly impacts tuberculosis incidence and mortality rates

The prolonged armed conflict in Colombia has had a significant impact on tuberculosis (TB) incidence and mortality.

30 Mar 2026

Can camel milk improve health? Review highlights benefits but warns against drinking it raw

A narrative review in Food Science & Nutrition examined studies published from 2000 to 2025 and found that camel milk contains bioactive compounds with potential glycemic, anti-inflammatory, gut, and other health benefits. It also stressed that raw, unpasteurized camel milk poses microbial and zoonotic risks, underscoring that safety remains a key part of the story.

25 Mar 2026