LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- Commonly thought of as a Victorian disease , tuberculosis , or TB , remains a persistent global health problem . It is a common disease of the lung that is airborne and highly contagious . If left untreated , tuberculosis can be deadly . It is found everywhere in the world . Many myths and misconceptions abound about TB . But how much do you know about the disease ? Here , CNN compiles TB 's killer facts : .
It is an airborne and contagious disease . If left untreated , the disease is deadly . The combination of tuberculosis and malaria is particularly lethal . Some drug - resistant forms of TB are virtually untreatable .