Tuberculosis (TB) is the world's leading cause of death from a single infectious agent and among the top 10 causes of death globally in 2024, with 1.23 million people globally dying from TB, including 150,000 among people with HIV. An estimated 10.7 million people worldwide in 2024 will fall ill with TB, with an estimated 10 million falling ill globally. The disease is caused by bacteria that most often affects the lungs and spreads through the air when people with TB cough, sneeze or spit. About a quarter of the global population is estimated to have been infected with TB bacteria. The TB disease is usually treated with antibiotics and can be fatal without treatment. In certain countries, the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is given to babies or small children to prevent TB deaths and protects children from serious forms of TB. The WHO recommends the use of rapid diagnostic tests as initial diagnostic tests in all persons with signs and symptoms of TB for early detection and early treatment.