Excerpt from The Parents' Concise Guide to Vaccinations

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Known as consumption, phthisis, and white plague, it affected great numbers of children in the 19th century. As the standards in living, sanitation, and medical care have improved, the disease has decreased in severity. In the United States, TB is less prevalent than it used to be and is considered a curable disease. Around the world, though, TB infects more than a billion people, and in developing countries, TB is still the number one cause of death.