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an infectious disease that may affect almost any tissue of the body, especially the lungs, caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and characterized by tubercles.
this disease when affecting the lungs; pulmonary phthisis; consumption.
any disease caused by a mycobacterium.
Contemporary Examples

Or … whole swaths of the planet could be ravaged by drug-resistant strains of staph infection or tuberculosis.
Plague or Plenty? New Report Envisions the World in 2030 Eli Lake December 10, 2012

Presumed to be infected with tuberculosis—potentially fatal and frighteningly infectious—she and Kowerski were released.
World War II’s Most Glamorous Spy: Christine Granville Emma Garman July 6, 2013

Is violence an illness to be contained and medicated much like tuberculosis?
Using Strategies Reserved for Disease Outbreak, Activists Try to “Cure” Urban Violence Sarah Kunst April 10, 2014

As a teenager, he had cured his own tuberculosis through a radical exercise and diet regimen.
The Craziest Diet Ever Mark Adams March 15, 2009

In any event, Kamala soon died of tuberculosis and Feroze transferred his affections to Indira.
Hold Onto Your Penis David Frum, Justin Green November 28, 2012

Historical Examples

This was the case in a girl thirteen years of age who died of tuberculosis.
Degeneracy Eugene S. Talbot

The death-rate from tuberculosis is almost three times that among the whites.
The Indian Today Charles A. Eastman

This is especially important in diseases which are slow in their course, such as tuberculosis.
Special Report on Diseases of the Horse United States Department of Agriculture

This method is that commonly applied in testing cattle for tuberculosis.
The Home Medical Library, Volume II (of VI) Various

The bacillus of tuberculosis was discovered by Robert Koch in 1882.
Special Report on Diseases of Cattle U.S. Department of Agriculture

noun
a communicable disease caused by infection with the tubercle bacillus, most frequently affecting the lungs (pulmonary tuberculosis) Also called consumption, phthisis, TB
n.

1860, from Modern Latin, from Latin tuberculum “small swelling, pimple,” diminutive of tuber “lump” (see tuber) + -osis, a suffix of Greek origin. So called in reference to the tubercules which form in the lungs. Originally in reference to any disease characterized by tubercules; since the discovery of the tubercule bacillus by Koch (1882) restricted to disease caused by this.

tuberculosis tu·ber·cu·lo·sis (tu-bûr’kyə-lō’sĭs, tyu-)
n.
Abbr. TB, T.B.

An infectious disease of humans and animals caused by the tubercle bacillus and characterized by the formation of tubercles on the lungs and other tissues of the body, often developing long after the initial infection.

Tuberculosis of the lungs, characterized by the coughing up of mucus and sputum, fever, weight loss, and chest pain.

tuberculosis
(t-bûr’kyə-lō’sĭs)
An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is transmitted through inhalation and is characterized by cough, fever, shortness of breath, weight loss, and the appearance of inflammatory substances and tubercles in the lungs. Tuberculosis is highly contagious and can spread to other parts of the body, especially in people with weakened immune systems. Although the incidence of the disease has declined since the introduction of antibiotic treatment in the 1950’s, it is still a major public-health problem throughout the world, especially in Asia and Africa.
tuberculosis [(tuh-bur-kyuh-loh-sis)]

An infectious disease caused by bacteria that mainly attack the lungs. The disease is characterized by the formation of patches, called tubercles, that appear in the lungs and, in later stages, the bones, joints, and other parts of the body. Tuberculosis is treated with combinations of antibiotics and is no longer considered a major health problem in industrialized countries. It was formerly called consumption.

Note: Years ago, tuberculosis (consumption) was a major killer; it often figures in literature and drama.

Note: In recent years, the incidence of tuberculosis has been on the increase in the United States, particularly in large cities, mainly because the strains of the bacterium have developed resistance to antibiotics.