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 Prognosis

Tuberculosis in Animals

Tuberculosis Transmission

Tuberculosis Causes

Tuberculosis Treatment

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

History of Tuberculosis

What is the END TB Strategy?

How Has The COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Tuberculosis Eradication?

Tuberculosis Diagnosis

Tuberculosis Prevention

See more featured articles »

Tuberculosis Screening

Latest Tuberculosis News and Research

New TB drugs show promise with fewer side effects than linezolid

The drugs, sutezolid and delpazolid, have demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity and a notably better safety profile compared to linezolid, with potential to replace this current cornerstone in the treatment of drug-resistant TB.

8 Jul 2025

ADA2 regulates inflammation through lysosomal and extracellular mechanisms

Adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2) plays a critical role in immune regulation, particularly in monocyte differentiation and activation.

7 Jul 2025

New study moves closer to defeating dormant tuberculosis cells

New drugs that target 'zombie' tuberculosis (TB) cells are now a step closer, thanks to a new study led by the University of Surrey, published in Scientific Reports.

4 Jul 2025

AI transforms healthcare for faster, smarter care in emergency crises

AI technologies are transforming humanitarian healthcare, enhancing crisis response with improved decision-making, resource allocation, and timely aid delivery.

4 Jul 2025

USAID funding cuts could cost millions of lives worldwide, study warns

A new study published in The Lancet has raised urgent concerns about the global health consequences of recent cuts to U.S. foreign aid.

1 Jul 2025

WHO certifies Suriname as malaria free after decades of efforts

Today, Suriname became the first country in the Amazon region to receive malaria-free certification from the World Health Organization (WHO). This historic milestone follows nearly 70 years of commitment by the government and people of Suriname to eliminate the disease across its vast rainforests and diverse communities.

30 Jun 2025

Ancient DNA sheds light on the origins of leprosy in the Americas

Hansen's Disease, more commonly known as leprosy, is a chronic disease that can lead to physical impairment. Today it exists in over 100 countries, and while the infection is treatable, access to treatment varies widely with socioeconomic conditions.

30 Jun 2025

Beetle-inspired tuberculosis testing device offers accurate detection for people with HIV

Current tuberculosis infection tests struggle to detect the disease in those with HIV. A common co-infection, HIV can hide TB from traditional tests by eliminating the immune cells relied upon to sound the alarm.

27 Jun 2025

Asia Pacific malaria cases rise sharply amid funding gaps

Malaria cases in the Asia Pacific region have surged in the last few years, reaching 4.8 million in 2024 and putting the region further off track to reaching its elimination goal by 2030, a summit heard.

25 Jun 2025

Energy drain from antibiotics spurs bacteria to resist treatment faster

Antibiotics are supposed to wipe out bacteria, yet the drugs can sometimes hand microbes an unexpected advantage.

9 Jun 2025

Trump decried crime in America, then gutted funding for gun violence prevention

Violent crime was already trending down from a covid-era spike when President Donald Trump presented a picture of unbridled crime in America on the campaign trail in 2024.

5 Jun 2025

Understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms in Mycobacterium species

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) complex (MTBC), which includes M.tb as one of the causative bacteria.

3 Jun 2025

New compound infuzide shows promise against resistant bacterial infections

Antimicrobial resistance directly causes more than 1 million deaths every year and contributes to more than 35 million more, according to the World Health Organization. Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus sp., 2 gram-positive pathogens highly likely to develop resistance to known treatments, can cause dangerous hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections.

2 Jun 2025

New antibody discovery reveals powerful immune defense against tuberculosis

Researchers at the Ragon Institute have made a significant discovery about how antibodies can directly enhance the body's ability to fight Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis (TB).

30 May 2025

New insights into decades-old bladder cancer treatment offers clues for immunotherapy

More than three decades ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as the first immunotherapy against cancer. And it is still used today to treat early-stage bladder cancer.

29 May 2025

BCG immunotherapy reprograms bone marrow to boost cancer defense

29 May 2025

WHO and African Union renew agreement to strengthen health in Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union (AU) Commission renewed their longstanding strategic partnership today with the signing of an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

26 May 2025

Novel immune cells identified as potential target for tuberculosis vaccines

There is no highly effective vaccine against tuberculosis (TB), which remains an infection of global concern.

26 May 2025

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing improves pulmonary infection diagnosis

A recent study on the application of Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) found that mNGS can achieve early detection of pathogens and accelerate the development of targeted anti-infection treatment plans, thereby improving treatment outcomes and patient prognosis.

23 May 2025

Tuberculosis bacteria use molecular switch to pause and restart growth

The bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB) may have an "on-off switch" that lets them pause and restart growth, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Oxford.

23 May 2025