tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria whose scientific name is mycobacterium tuberculosis. it was first isolated in 1882 by a german physician named robert koch who received the nobel prize for this discovery. tb most commonly affects the lungs but also can involve almost any organ of the body. many years ago this disease was referred to as "consumption" because without effective treatment these patients often would waste away. today of course tuberculosis usually can be treated successfully with antibiotics. there is also a group of organisms referred to as atypical tuberculosis. these involve other types of bacteria that are in the mycobacterium family. often these organisms do not cause disease and are referred to a "colonizers " because they simply live alongside other bacteria in our bodies without causing damage. at times these bacteria can cause an infection that is sometimes clinically like typical tuberculosis. when these atypical mycobacteria cause infection they are often very difficult to cure. often drug therapy for these organisms must be administered for one-and-a-half to two years and requires multiple medications.
what is tuberculosis?