Kansas Officials Report Largest Tuberculosis Outbreak in US History
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Loading... - Dalia Taha
- 29 Jan 2025
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Kansas is currently grappling with an unprecedented outbreak of tuberculosis (TB), which has been identified as the largest on record in the United States. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, as of January 24, 2025, there have been 67 active TB cases reported since the beginning of the year, along with an additional 79 latent or non-active infections. These cases have primarily emerged in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, part of the greater Kansas City area.
Jill Bronaugh, the communications director for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that this outbreak represents the “largest documented tuberculosis outbreak in US history” since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began monitoring cases in the 1950s. She noted that the rapid increase in cases over a short period is a significant factor in this classification. “This outbreak is still ongoing, which means that there could be more cases,” Bronaugh warned.
While the majority of cases have been concentrated in Wyandotte County, state officials have reassured the public that there is a “very low risk to the general public, including the surrounding counties.” The Kansas health department is collaborating with local health agencies and following CDC guidelines to ensure that affected individuals receive appropriate treatment.
TB is caused by a bacterium that primarily affects the lungs and spreads through the air from person to person. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, and there are two types of TB infections: active and latent. Active TB can cause symptoms such as cough, chest pain, coughing up blood, weight loss, and chills, and it can be transmitted to others. In contrast, latent TB does not cause symptoms and cannot be spread, but individuals with latent TB can develop active TB at any time.
The CDC estimates that up to 13 million people in the US live with latent TB. In 2023, there were 9,633 reported cases of active TB in the US, marking the highest count since 2013 and a 15% increase from the previous year. In Kansas, there were 51 active TB cases reported in 2023, with provisional data indicating an estimated 109 cases in 2024. As of now, one new case has been reported in 2025.
Certain populations are at a higher risk for contracting TB, including individuals living in large group settings such as homeless shelters and prisons, those born in or frequently traveling to countries where TB is common, and individuals with weakened immune systems. The CDC recommends testing for TB for those at increased risk, utilizing either a blood test or a skin test to detect infection.
As Kansas continues to address this significant public health challenge, officials are urging vigilance and awareness to help control the spread of tuberculosis in the community.
