Tuberculosis: an overview of current literature on types, diagnosis and drug therapy

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne infectious disease caused by organisms of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. It is a global problem and increases in case rates are occurring not only in the developing countries of the world but also in several industrialized nations. There has also been an alarming increase in the number and proportion of cases caused by strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are resistant to multiple first-line drugs. The increase in multiple-drug resistant tuberculosis has re-taught physicians about the importance of pursuing and ensuring treatment until cure. In many low-income and middle-income countries, TB continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and drug-resistant TB is a major concern in many settings. This article offers an overview of types, diagnosis and management of TB