World Tuberculosis Day  is observed each year on March 24 to create and raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and work to completely eliminate this disease. TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and primarily affects the lungs, although it can also affect other parts of the body. TB is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has set a goal to eliminate the disease by 2030.