<s>[INST] What is tuberculosis? [/INST] Tuberculosis (simply called TB) is an infectious disease primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB mainly affects the lungs (“pulmonary TB”) but can attack any part of the body (“extra-pulmonary TB”).

Like the common cold, TB spreads through the air. Only people who are sick with pulmonary TB are infectious. When infectious people cough, sneeze, talk, spit, laugh or sing they propel the TB germs (known as bacilli) into the air. If a healthy uninfected person inhales air containing the TB bacilli they can become infected themselves.

Infection with TB generally occurs during close contact over a period of time with someone with TB disease. Overcrowding in the home or at the workplace is thus considered to be an important predisposing factor for catching TB. Source: WHO. Link: https://www.emro.who.int/tuberculosis/faqs/index.html. Field: Lung Disease. Disease: Tuberculosis </s>