The bacillus causing tuberculosis, M. tuberculosis, was identified and described on 24 March 1882 by Robert Koch. He received the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1905 for this discovery. Koch did not believe the bovine (cattle) and human tuberculosis diseases were similar, which delayed the recognition of infected milk as a source of infection. Later, the risk of transmission from this source was dramatically reduced by the invention of the pasteurization process. Koch announced a glycerine extract of the tubercle bacilli as a "remedy" for tuberculosis in 1890, calling it "tuberculin". While it was not effective, it was later successfully adapted as a screening test for the presence of pre-symptomatic tuberculosis. The World Tuberculosis Day was established on 24 March for this reason. COUNT 5
QSN1 Who discovered M. tuberculosis? ANS1 Robert Koch QSN2 What year was Koch awarded a Nobel Prize? ANS2 1905 QSN3 Koch's conviction that human and bovine strains of TB were unrelated meant more people were exposed by drinking what? ANS3 milk QSN4 What did Koch call the ineffective treatment for TB he came up with in 1890? ANS4 tuberculin QSN5 What event is celebrated on March 24th to recognize the test for latent TB? ANS5 World Tuberculosis Day