Tuberculosis, one of the world’s most deadly infectious diseases, has been reported in a handful of cases in Maine, North Carolina and California in recent weeks.
Less transmissible than other respiratory illnesses such as the flu and COVID-19, tuberculosis is curable with up to nine months of antibiotic treatment for active cases.
Northeastern University infectious disease and global health experts Brandon Dionne, Larry Han and Tamara Jimah explain what causes tuberculosis, how it spreads and why it requires months of medication to fully eradicate it.
What is tuberculosis?
Once believed to be an inherited disease, tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
“The name for tuberculosis actually comes from tubercles,” small lesions in the lungs caused by the disease, says Dionne, associate clinical professor in pharmacy and health systems science.
“It can start to destroy lung tissue,” he says. “When most people die of tuberculosis, it’s actually from tissue deterioration and respiratory failure.”
