History of tuberculosis

The history of tuberculosis encompasses the origins, evolution, and spread of tuberculosis (TB) throughout human history, as well as the development of medical understanding, treatments, and control methods for this ancient disease.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Throughout history, tuberculosis has been known by differing names, including consumption, phthisis, and the White Plague. Paleopathological evidence finds tuberculosis in humans since at least the Neolithic (approximately 10,000-11,000 years ago), with molecular studies suggesting a much earlier emergence and co-evolution with humans.

Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the TB originated in Africa and evolved alongside human populations for tens of thousands of years. The disease spread globally through human migrations, adapting to different human populations and eventually developing into several distinct lineages with varying geographic distributions. While TB has affected humanity for millennia, it became particularly prevalent during industrialization when urban overcrowding aided transmission. The medical understanding of tuberculosis transformed in the 19th century with Robert Koch's 1882 identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the causative bacterium, followed by the development of vaccines and antibiotic treatments in the mid-20th century.