WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. However, it usually requires prolonged exposure to an infected person to catch the disease. While TB is preventable and curable, it remains one of the top causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide, particularly in developing countries.