History of tuberculosis and contemporary challenges

Tuberculosis (TB) in humans can be traced back to 9,000 years ago in Atlit Yam, a city now under the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Israel. This chapter will examine the case of TB through a historical analysis of colonialism, poverty, and uneven development. Given that TB is one of the significant infectious diseases that impact on low- and middle-income countries worldwide, this chapter will engage with social, political, economic, cultural, andAU: Please check if changes are acceptable. environmental factors to elaborate the historical analysis and will provide a thorough historiography to understand the current research on the social issues pertaining to TB. This chapter will further critically engage with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially ending the TB epidemic as a health target. The TB epidemic is strongly influenced by social and economic development and health-related risk factors such as malnutrition, diabetes, unplanned urbanization, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, and smoking. This chapter will argue that achieving global targets for reductions in TB disease burden demands a holistic development based on the harmonious relationship between human and nature.