Pharmaceutical companies aren't as interested in developing drugs for tuberculosis because so many of the cases are in poorer countries. There was a significant dip in the population in the 14th c. due to bubonic plague. It is estimated that a third of Europe's population was killed by the plague. Currently, there is a hollowing out of the young adult population in sub-Saharan Africa due to the AIDS epidemic.
Tuberculosis is one of the most ancient human diseases.
Tuberculosis has had an overwhelming impact on human history. Tuberculosis is a very unique bacterial disease. Faeroes are isolated islands. In 1846, a ship from Copenhagen stopped at Faeroes to unload some goods. A sailor on board had measles and the people of Faeroes were infected.