Tuberculosis is a communicable disease that is brought about by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a type of bacterium. The most common site infected is the lung of the patient. The infection may also invade the brain and the spine, among other body parts. Diagnosis of tuberculosis can be made by means of skin and blood tests. The rise in the number of cases of this condition has resulted in an increased demand for reliable and fast diagnostic tests to help in controlling the disease. It is estimated that only around 10% of latent infections turn into active disease, which in turn kills about half of the affected persons if no treatment is administered.