, also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by tuberculosis (MTB) . Tuberculosis initially infects the lungs, but it can also spread to other parts of the body. Most show no symptoms, in which case it is known as inactive or latent tuberculosis. A small proportion of latent infections progress to active disease that, if left untreated, can be fatal. Typical symptoms of active TB are cough with blood-containing , fever, night sweats, and weight loss. of other organs can cause a wide range of symptoms.
Underlined words are explained — tap any of them.
How common · TB incidence (per 100,000 per year)
187.0 /100k (2024)
India
131.0 /100k (2024)
World
Source: WHO Global Health Observatory
Symptoms — what it feels like
· cough, fever, cough with bloody , weight loss. Latent TB is
The sections below are general education drawn from public guidelines (NHS, Mayo, CPIC, WHO, ICMR). They are not individually reviewed by a clinician and are not medical advice — always talk to a doctor about your own health.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor
See a doctor if you have a cough lasting more than two to three weeks, cough up phlegm, have fevers or night sweats, lose weight without trying, or feel very tired. TB is treatable, and testing early protects you and others.
Get care urgently
Get urgent care if you cough up blood, have severe chest pain or breathlessness, a very high fever, a stiff neck with severe headache, or confusion. These need immediate assessment.
General guidance, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, see a doctor.
Questions to ask your doctor
?Which tests confirm TB?
?Is it infectious, and how do I avoid spreading it to my family?
?Should people I live with be tested?
?How long is the treatment and why is finishing it important?
?Which symptoms mean I should return quickly?
?How will I be followed up?
What to note before your visit
·when the cough or fever started and how long it has lasted
·any weight loss, night sweats, or blood in phlegm
·close contacts who may also be unwell
·current medicines you take
Myths vs facts
✕TB is hereditary and runs in the family — you are born with it.
✓TB is caused by a ( ) that spreads through the air when a person with active lung TB coughs or sneezes. It is an , not something inherited. Families sometimes all get it because they share the same air, not the same genes.Believing TB is 'in the blood' brings shame on the whole family and stops people from getting tested and treated.
✕TB is a death sentence and a disease only of the poor and 'dirty'.
✓TB is curable. With a full course of medicines — free in India's government programme, usually about 6 months — most people recover completely. Anyone who breathes can get TB, rich or poor.India has the world's largest TB burden; treating it as a shameful 'poor person's disease' delays diagnosis and costs lives.
✕Once I start feeling better after a few weeks, I can stop the medicines.
✓Stopping early is dangerous. Even when symptoms are gone, some survive; stopping lets them come back stronger and become drug-resistant (MDR-TB), which is far harder and costlier to treat. Always finish the full course.Early stopping is a major driver of drug-resistant TB in India — completing treatment protects both the patient and everyone around them.
✕A TB patient must be kept apart forever, use separate utensils for life, and cannot marry.
✓TB does not spread through utensils, food, handshakes, sharing a toilet or touching. After about two weeks of proper treatment a person usually stops being . Separate plates and lifelong isolation are not needed.TB stigma, especially against women, leads to broken engagements, divorce and secrecy — which pushes people to hide the illness instead of curing it.