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 Causes

Tuberculosis Diagnosis

Tuberculosis Treatment

Tuberculosis Screening

Tuberculosis Prognosis

What is the END TB Strategy?

Tuberculosis Prevention

How Has The COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Tuberculosis Eradication?

Tuberculosis Transmission

Tuberculosis in Animals

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

See more featured articles »

History of Tuberculosis

Latest Tuberculosis News and Research

Funding challenges threaten to reverse global gains in the fight against TB

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world's deadliest infectious killers, claiming over 1.2 million lives and affecting an estimated 10.7 million people last year, according to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, released today.

13 Nov 2025

Single-dose malaria treatment using four drugs achieves high cure rates in clinical trial

Hundreds of malaria patients participating in a Phase 3 clinical trial in Gabon in West Africa were cured via a single dose of a treatment that utilizes four widely available malaria drugs, according to a new study presented today at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).

12 Nov 2025

Common antibiotic can improve survival and neurological outcomes in CNS-TB

Researchers at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), have demonstrated that doxycycline, a commonly available and inexpensive antibiotic, can improve survival rates and neurological outcomes in Central Nervous System Tuberculosis (CNS-TB) in a preclinical non-human study.

12 Nov 2025

Groundbreaking vaccination approach could transform respiratory disease prevention

A research team from Trinity College Dublin has unveiled a groundbreaking new approach to vaccination that could redefine how we protect against respiratory infections.

10 Nov 2025

Immigrants with health conditions may be denied visas under new Trump administration guidance

Foreigners seeking visas to live in the U.S. might be rejected if they have certain medical conditions, including diabetes or obesity, under a Thursday directive from the Trump administration.

6 Nov 2025

MIT researchers identify new vaccine targets to fight tuberculosis

A large-scale screen of tuberculosis proteins has revealed several possible antigens that could be developed as a new vaccine for TB, the world's deadliest infectious disease.

5 Nov 2025

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

Discover how generative AI is reshaping clinical care with real-world examples, challenges, and expert advice for AI adoption in healthcare

3 Nov 2025

Genetic insights into vestibular system damage from ototoxic drugs

The vestibular system is responsible for the sense of balance in the inner ear. Prolonged use of toxic substances, such as certain antibiotics or anticancer drugs, can damage the hair cells that form part of this system, leading to alterations in balance and other motor skills.

31 Oct 2025

US funding cuts threaten decades of progress in pediatric tuberculosis

A new study projects that US funding cuts to global health aid will have a catastrophic effect on pediatric TB, with children in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia likely to experience a significant spike in preventable cases and deaths over the next decade-even by the most conservative estimates-unless funding is restored.

21 Oct 2025

Global leaders unite to invest in health for economic growth

The World Bank Group, the Government of Japan, and the World Health Organization officially launched the Health Works Leaders Coalition.

17 Oct 2025

Global health study warns of rising youth deaths amid declining overall mortality

Global mortality rates are falling but not among youths and young adults, according to the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study published in The Lancet today and presented at the World Health Summit in Berlin.

13 Oct 2025

Study reveals how RfaH protein acts as a protective shield for bacterial genes

Researchers at Umeå University have identified a key molecular player that helps bacteria survive the hostile environment inside the body.

9 Oct 2025

Rare spacecraft bacterium found to evade detection by playing dead

A rare microorganism found in an unexpected environment may be evading detection by "playing dead," according to microbiologists at the University of Houston.

8 Oct 2025

PAHO introduces new tool to accelerate disease elimination in the Americas

During a briefing session at the 62nd Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), officials presented a new technical tool to help countries in the Region of the Americas accelerate the elimination of more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions.

6 Oct 2025

Inflammation at the heart’s core: What clinicians and families can do now

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a key driver of cardiovascular disease, even when cholesterol is controlled. The ACC’s 2025 Scientific Statement highlights hsCRP as a routine risk marker and outlines lifestyle and pharmacologic anti-inflammatory strategies for prevention and treatment.

30 Sep 2025