Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that is spread through inhalation and usually affects the lungs. Non-pulmonary TB affects other organs like the kidneys, brain, or bones, and is not considered infectious. Like many infectious diseases, TB is often spread through coughs and sneezes. Symptoms are also similar to those of a common cold or seasonal flu: coughs, fevers, fatigue, night sweats, and poor appetite. If you have a cough that lasts more than three weeks you should ask to be tested for TB. Outcomes for TB are good and it is usually treated with a round of medicine, but this is not the case globally. If you think you may have TB or are interested in the issues surrounding that disease across the world, the resources in this section are full of information about the disease.