Tuberculosis Factsheet

Tuberculosis FAQ

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It most often affects the lungs, but can also involve the kidneys, brain, spine, skin and other organs after spread through the bloodstream. Primary infection after initial exposure may occur without symptoms or as a transient, nonspecific respiratory illness that goes unrecognized as TB. Subsequently, many people may carry the infection without feeling sick or being contagious (inactive or latent TB), but a small proportion of infections will develop into active TB disease and develop symptoms months to years after initial exposure.

How common is TB?

Globally, TB is the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent and among the top 10 causes of death. A total of 1.23 million people died from TB in 2024 alone. One quarter of the world’s population is estimated to have been infected with TB bacteria.

What are the symptoms of TB?

Symptoms of TB may be mild for months, allowing people to spread the infection to others without knowing it. Symptoms depend on what part of the body is affected and include prolonged cough (sometimes with blood), chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.

Is TB deadly?

TB-related causes of death usually include septic shock, respiratory failure, TB-related cachexia (severe wasting), bleeding complications, peritonitis, and meningitis. More commonly, cause of death in patients with TB are not directly related but rather due to co-morbidities like cirrhosis of the liver, kidney failure, Diabetes mellitus, cancer, or AIDS.

How does a person become infected with TB?

The bacteria that causes TB spreads through the air when people with the disease cough, sneeze, or spit.

Who is at highest risk of TB?

Babies and children are at higher risk of developing active TB disease if they are infected. Other conditions can increase risk of TB, such as diabetes, weakened immune system (such as people with HIV), undernutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol use. In 2024, TB was the leading killer of people with HIV, with the WHO African Region having the highest burden of HIV-associated TB.

Is there a treatment for TB?

Special antibiotics are deployed to treat both TB infection and disease. Medications usually must be taken daily for four to six months to ensure they are effective. Stopping medications before being advised to do so by your healthcare provider or taking them intermittently (skipping days, etc.) may cause bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics.

Some strains of TB are drug-resistant — posing an increasing public health risk — and may require different medicines to treat them.

How can people protect themselves from infection of TB?

In certain countries, a vaccine is given to babies or small children to protect against TB. However, the vaccine does not work as well for adults, and TB vaccine development is considered an important goal globally. For most places, risk-based early screening (blood test or skin test) and treatment can help stop the spread and improve your chances of recovery if you develop symptoms or are high-risk.