Kansas Tuberculosis Outbreak Ranked Among Largest in US History

After years of steady decline, tuberculosis (TB) is poised to make a significant comeback in the US. A surge of new cases in Kansas City seems to be one of the largest outbreaks since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started tracking TB in the 1950s.

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the state reported 110 active (transmissible) TB cases and 632 latent (non-transmissible) cases in 2024.

Health Officials Work to Identify and Treat TB Cases Before Outbreak Escalates

Although the risk of infection for the public remains low, health officials are focused on identifying all active and latent cases to ensure that proper treatment is provided before the outbreak worsens.

KDHE communications director Jill Bronaugh told Chris Dall at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, “This outbreak is still ongoing, so additional cases could emerge.”

Active TB Infections Pose Serious Health Risks, Including Fatalities

Active, transmissible TB infections cause symptoms like coughing, chest pain, and chills, and if untreated, can be fatal—two deaths in 2024 have been tied to the Kansas City outbreak. This form of the disease is highly contagious.

Latent, inactive TB infections, on the other hand, cannot be transmitted and show no symptoms, but they can become active at any time. Both forms of TB can be treated with antibiotics over several months.

Tuberculosis: A Long-Standing Global Health Threat

Tuberculosis, primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria and typically affecting the lungs, has existed for thousands of years. Although the fatality rate has drastically decreased, tuberculosis continues to be the leading infectious cause of death worldwide.

In developed countries like the US, treatments for tuberculosis are widely accessible. After leveling off in the 1980s, TB infections in the US steadily decreased until 2020 and the onset of COVID-19. Since then, cases have been rising again, reaching 8,331 in 2022.

Historically referred to as consumption, TB has often been associated with poverty. Those in crowded environments—such as homeless shelters, prisons, or nursing homes—are at a higher risk of infection.

According to Bronaugh, it takes about 10 days of treatment for someone with active TB to no longer be contagious, she shared with Jason Alatidd of The Topeka Capital-Journal.

“We are working together with the CDC,” said KDHE deputy secretary Ashley Goss to the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee last week.

“This is typical when there is an unprecedented situation or a major outbreak; they offer resources to help us control it. We’re making progress and heading in the right direction.”

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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