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What is TB?
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, spine, and brain. TB spreads through the air when individuals with active pulmonary TB cough, sneeze, or speak, releasing bacteria into the environment.
How Is TB Treated?
TB is treatable and curable with a regimen of antibiotics. Standard treatment for active TB disease involves a minimum 6-month course of at least four antibiotics: isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. It's crucial to complete the entire treatment to prevent the development of drug-resistant TB strains.
For TB infection (aka LTBI), where the bacteria are present but inactive, treatment options are shorter and may include a 3-month regimen of isoniazid and rifapentine or a 4-month course of rifampicin alone.
How Common Is TB?
TB remains the top infectious killer disease globally. In 2023, approximately 10 million people fell ill with TB, and 1.25 million died from the disease, making it the leading cause of death.
While TB is more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, it also affects high-income nations. In the United States, TB cases rose to over 10,300 in 2024, the highest since 2011, with notable outbreaks in states like Kansas.
