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Tuberculosis (or TB) is a disease caused by bacterial infection of the bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria attacks the lungs, causing blood and other fluids to fill the lungs and eventually drown the victim. Tuberculosis is a disease that has been afflicting humanity for millenia, forensic pathologists studying Egyptian mummies have discovered signs of tuberculosis on the lungs of these ancient specimens dating back to 4000BCE. Throughout the centuries, epidemics of tuberculosis have broken out on all continents and have killed millions at a time. The last major tuberculosis epidemic in the Western world happened between the 19th and early 20th centuries. During this time period, many medical breakthroughs were made in the fight against this disease. Today, in the West, tuberculosis is generally considered a disease of the past due to successful tuberculosis vaccination campaigns in most countries of northern lattitudes. The Global South, however, is a different story, up to 80% of the population have least tuberculosis infection. The vaccine is less successful for inhabitants of the tropical regions of the world. Most 21st century cases of tuberculosis are reported in Africa and the southern parts of Asia.

Tuberculosis (or TB) is a bacterial infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This disease was a major killer in the West in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was known as the red death. Many cultural works of art mentioned this disease like Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “the Mask of the Red Death” and Giacomo Puccini’s opera “La Boheme.” In the mid 20th century it was discovered that antibiotics could treat and cure the disease. In 1908, the bacteriologist Albert Camille made a breakthrough in the creation of a vaccine for tuberculosis. More than twenty years later in 1921, the vaccine was first used on humans after rigorous animal testing. Vaccination for the disease did not become common in the West until after World War II. In the 21st century the areas that remain the most affected are the equatorial parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, affecting up to 80% of the population. There is also a slight increase of tuberculosis in the West as a result of compromised immune systems from Aids and other retroviruses, 8-10% of the population have tuberculosis. The effectiveness of the vaccine varies depending on how far from the equator recipients of the vaccine live.