Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for which disease?

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, a highly infectious disease primarily affecting the lungs, though it can also target other parts of the body. Tuberculosis is characterized by its ability to spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, releasing droplets containing the bacteria. This can lead to a significant public health challenge due to its contagious nature.

While pneumonia, influenza, and hepatitis are also serious illnesses, they are caused by different pathogens. Pneumonia can result from various bacteria or viruses, influenza is caused by the influenza virus, and hepatitis is primarily caused by different viral infections affecting the liver. The specificity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in causing tuberculosis is what makes this choice the correct one for the question regarding the disease it is responsible for.