Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which bacterium causes tuberculosis?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Robert Koch
Best known for demonstrating that specific microorganisms cause specific diseases, German bacteriologist and physician helped to confirm the germ theory of disease.
The bacterium that causes tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis.1
This organism, often referred to as the tubercle bacillus, was discovered and identified by the German bacteriologist Robert Koch in 1882. By modifying staining methods and successfully isolating the organism in pure culture, Koch was able to demonstrate its etiologic role in the disease. Additionally, the species Mycobacterium bovis is known to cause tuberculosis in both cattle and humans.231