Tuberculosis: the continuing story

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has risen since 1989 after 30 years of decline. TB is an infectious pulmonary disease caused by exposure to Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis. It probably existed prior to 2000 B.C. when the first evidence of TB lesions were seen. TB treatments included exercise, milk, bloodletting, purging, injected red roses and honey, smoking cow manure, injected gold salts and rib removal. Theories of TB contagion were first advanced in the 16th century, but were replaced by theories of genetic predisposition in the late 17th century due to its incidence in family groups. In 1882, M. tuberculosis was isolated and tuberculin, now used to diagnose TB, was extracted from the bacterium. Public health efforts to improve soil drainage and isolate TB patients became popular. Streptomycin, which is effective against TB, was discovered in 1943 and became available in 1947.