This document compares and contrasts tuberculosis and pneumonia. Both are infectious lung diseases, but tuberculosis is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis while pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or aspiration of material into the lungs. Typical symptoms of tuberculosis include a moderate fever and persistent cough producing sputum, while pneumonia is characterized by a high fever, cough, and chest indrawing. Both diseases require treatment with antibiotics, though tuberculosis requires a multi-drug regimen over several months. Without proper treatment, tuberculosis can be fatal within 5 years while pneumonia is usually treatable with antibiotics within 2-3 weeks.