Communicable Disease Prevention and Control

Respiratory Diseases

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex including M. tuberculosis and M. africanum primarily from humans and M. bovis primarily from cattle.

Although tuberculosis may affect any organ or tissue, pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form of the disease. Bacteria are transmitted in airborne droplets through coughing, sneezing by infected individuals. Exposure to the bacteria in cattle can result in bovine tuberculosis.

The incidence of new active and relapsed cases of tuberculosis in Nova Scotia has declined in recent years.