Tuberculosis is still one of the deadliest infectious diseases, causing over one million deaths each year worldwide. On the other hand, about one-fourth of the world's population carries Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) without showing any symptoms, and most of these carriers do not develop the disease.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb); the leading cause of human death due to a single pathogen before the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. In elephants, the infections and deaths with TB have been reported worldwide, and elephant-to-human transmission has also been reported. Therefore, elephant TB is a concern for both conservation of this endangered animal and public health.