DISEASE SCANNER
Global Incurable Diseases Tracker
Tuberculosis
Bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting lungs but can involve any organ. Leading infectious cause of death worldwide. Latent infection common; active disease in 5-10% of infected.
10.0M
194
Symptoms
Treatment Options
Risk Factors
Diagnostic Methods
- 1Sputum smear microscopy
- 2GeneXpert MTB/RIF
- 3Chest X-ray
- 4TB culture (gold standard)
- 5Tuberculin skin test (TST)
- 6IGRA blood test
- 7Drug susceptibility testing
- 8NAAT
Prognosis
Curable with 6-month standard treatment. DR-TB: 50-60% success rate. HIV-TB co-infection: mortality high without ART. Latent TB: 5-10% lifetime risk of progression.
Prevention
- BCG vaccination (variable efficacy)
- Isoniazid preventive therapy
- Infection control measures
- Early diagnosis and treatment
- Contact tracing
- Improved nutrition
- TB screening in high-risk groups
Research Status
DR-TB (drug-resistant) major challenge. Bedaquiline and delamanid for MDR-TB. Shorter regimens (6-9 months vs 20+). mRNA vaccine in development. Latent TB treatment (3HP regimen: weekly rifapentine + isoniazid for 3 months). Host-directed therapies.
Affected Countries
Sources
- https://www.cdc.gov
- https://www.who.int
- https://www.hematology.org/education/patients
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books
- https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases
Medical Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult healthcare professionals for medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment.