tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is not just an old medical term. It is a serious infectious disease that usually affects the lungs, but it can also spread to other parts of the body. For centuries, it was called "consumption" because people with the illness often became very thin and weak. Today, TB can usually be cured with the right course of antibiotics, although drug-resistant forms are a growing concern. It appears often in 19th-century literature because the disease was so common at the time.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily spreads through the air when a person with an active infection coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. While most commonly associated with the lungs (pulmonary TB), the bacteria can travel through the bloodstream to affect other organs such as the kidneys, spine, and brain (extrapulmonary TB).

Historically, TB was a leading cause of death worldwide, earning grim nicknames like "the White Plague" due to the pale appearance of patients. The disease gained significant notoriety in the 19th and early 20th centuries because of its prevalence in crowded, industrial cities. Many iconic artists, writers, and musicians—including Frédéric Chopin, John Keats, and Franz Kafka—suffered from the disease, and it was often romanticized in operas and novels as a "lingering" or "sensitive" way to die.

Today, while TB remains a major global health challenge, especially in lower-resource parts of the world, it is largely preventable and curable. However, the rise of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) poses a serious threat to public health. Early diagnosis and careful completion of treatment are crucial for recovery and for preventing further spread. Public health efforts, including the BCG vaccine and screening programs, continue to play a vital role in controlling this long-standing disease.