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How To Prevent The Spread Of Tuberculosis, Symptoms To Know Amid The Outbreak In Kansas
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A TB Outbreak In Kansas Is Growing, As US Rates Rise Too. What Are The Symptoms?
Kansas is dealing with one of the largest outbreaks of tuberculosis recorded in a single year in the United States since the 1950s, state health officials say. The outbreak in the Kansas City area has sickened dozens and killed at least two people since it began last January.
On Monday, Jan. 27, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said the tuberculosis outbreak is still ongoing and "there could be more cases" as it grows.
Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs. TB is a serious infection that if left untreated can be fatal.
As of Jan. 24, at least 67 people are being treated for active TB related to the Kansas outbreak, Jill Bronaugh, communications director of the KDHE, said in an update on Jan 29. Additionally, the outbreak killed two people in 2024.
Although state health officials say the risk to the general public is low, the current outbreak in Kansas is unprecedented. The situation in Kansas, along with other recent TB trends in the U.S., has sparked some concern among experts. Here's what to know.
Is tuberculosis a virus?No, tuberculosis is not caused by a virus. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tuberculosis usually affects the lungs, but it spread to the brain, spine, and kidneys.
Not everyone infected with the bacteria that causes TB will get sick, which is called a latent or inactive TB infection.
People with latent TB do not develop symptoms and aren't contagious, so they can't spread the infection to others. However, people with latent TB can still develop active TB at any time.
When the bacteria multiply and cause symptoms, this is called active tuberculosis disease or active TB. People with active TB can spread the infection to others.
Although it's controlled in the U.S., tuberculosis is the leading infectious disease killer worldwide. Globally, TB causes millions of illnesses and deaths every year, per the World Health Organization.
Kansas City tuberculosis outbreakSince January 2024, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has confirmed 67 active TB cases involved in this outbreak, including 60 in Wyandotte County and seven in neighboring Johnson County. Additionally, there have been 79 latent TB cases reported in these two counties.
At least two people have died in this outbreak. The state's health department has not released any additional details to the public.
Last year, the KDHE reported 79 active TB and 213 latent TB cases, both involved in this outbreak and sporadic (non-outbreak), says Bronaugh. However, the 2024 case counts are still provisional, and will be confirmed by the CDC at the end of March, she notes.
"While this outbreak is larger than normal, the risk remains low for the general public," says Bronaugh.
Is this the largest TB outbreak in U.S. History?The total cause count associated with the current outbreak in the Kansas City Metro area (67) makes it "the largest outbreak in the U.S. At this time over the span of one year since the CDC began reporting TB cases in the 1950s," says Bronaugh.
In an earlier statement on Monday, Jan. 27, state health officials said the current outbreak was "the largest documented outbreak in U.S. History" since the 1950s.
However, a CDC spokesperson rebutted this claim, pointing to two recent tuberculosis outbreaks in the U.S. Involving a larger number of cases, NBC News previously reported. These include an outbreak in Georgia at homeless shelters from 2015 to 2017, and a nationwide outbreak linked to contaminated bone grafts in 2021.
While not the largest outbreak in U.S. History, the current outbreak in Kansas is still large enough to raise some alarm, experts say. The state usually only sees a handful of TB cases each year. In 2023, the CDC recorded 46 active TB cases in Kansas, says Bronaugh.
"It's a substantial outbreak of tuberculosis," Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells TODAY.Com.
Tuberculosis rates in the U.S. Are generally very low, says Schaffner, largely thanks to vigorous state TB control programs. However, after declining steadily for 30 years, tuberculosis rates increased each year from 2020 to 2023, according to the latest CDC data.
The KDHE has not released details about the populations affected by the outbreak. "Of course, that's intriguing and we would like to know that from a public health point of view," says Schaffner.
The health department said it is working with the CDC to track the outbreak and prevent further spread. "KDHE is currently managing a total of 384 individuals associated with this outbreak who are all at various different stages of TB testing, diagnostics and treatment," says Bronaugh.
It's unclear how the Kansas TB outbreak will pan out, but cases are expected to grow. "It is important to note that this outbreak is ongoing, therefore, cannot be compared to previous TB epidemics or outbreaks," says Bronough.
TB transmissionTuberculosis spreads from person to person through the air, when a person with active TB talks, coughs, sneezes, laughs or sings.
These germs can linger in the air for hours, especially in closed, indoor spaces, per the CDC. People become infected when they inhale the germs, which then settle in the lungs, says Schaffner.
Transmission of tuberculosis requires close, prolonged contact with someone who has active TB disease. "It's not transmitted casually by fleeting contacts," says Schaffner, adding that it's not readily transmissible like influenza or COVID, for example.
TB germs are not spread by shaking someone's hand, kissing, sharing food or drinks, or touching toilet seats, per the CDC.
People with latent TB are not contagious and cannot spread the infection to others. However, they are still treated to prevent a recurrent active TB infection later on, which can be contagious.
Signs of tuberculosisAccording to the CDC, symptoms of active tuberculosis include:
People with inactive or latent TB will not develop symptoms, unless they develop active TB.
"The hibernating bacteria in those individuals can recur and cause illness in that person, 10, 15, 20 years later," says Schaffner.
If left untreated, about 5-10% of latent cases will develop into active tuberculosis disease, according to the CDC.
Tuberculosis treatmentTuberculosis patients, both active and inactive, are treated with antibiotics. Treatment typically involves taking multiple antibiotics every day over a period of four to nine months, per the CDC.
There is a vaccine for tuberculosis, which is not generally used in the U.S., but instead given to young children in countries where tuberculosis disease is common.
Tuberculosis: What You Need To Know About The Recent Outbreak, Risk Factors, Symptoms And Treatment
Kansas City has been at the center of an ongoing tuberculosis outbreak, bringing the disease back into the spotlight. Around 67 active cases have been confirmed since the start of 2025, and nearly 400 people are being monitored for exposure. Another case has been identified in a Michigan high school.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 10,347 reported tuberculosis cases in the US in 2024, a 8% increase from 2023. Though the CDC did see a 15.6% increase in 2023 compared to 2022. To put that into perspective, that's an incidence rate of 3 cases per 100,000 people. Tuberculosis is prevalent in the US, but it's both preventable and curable.
While early detection and treatment plans have helped limit disease transmission in the US, we have seen numbers creep back up over the last few years. This could be possibly partly due to reduced access to medical care during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Kansas outbreak is more prominent than usual, though that doesn't mean it's a cause for panic. Despite being spread through the air, tuberculosis is not easily contracted, because it only spreads when a person has symptoms. Read on to learn everything you need to know about tuberculosis, including what it is, how it's spread and how to treat it.
For more on staying healthy, see which at-home COVID and flu tests you should use and our tips and tricks to tackle allergy season.
What is tuberculosis?Tuberculosis, or TB, is a curable infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs. However, it can affect other tissues and organs, which is called extrapulmonary tuberculosis. It's a prevalent disease that's on the rise. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2023, around 1.25 million people died from the disease. 95% of TB-related deaths occur in developing countries.
Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium that spreads through the air when an infected person talks, laughs, sneezes or coughs. It's an airborne disease, though it doesn't spread easily. You must be in close contact with someone with TB for an extended time. Most people get it from family members.
The tricky thing about tuberculosis is that not everyone infected gets sick immediately. That's called inactive or latent tuberculosis. The inactive bacteria stay in the body, with the potential to become active later, especially during times of weakened immune systems.
You can't predict when or if it becomes active. Some live with latent tuberculosis for a lifetime without ever developing full-blown TB. Unlike other infectious diseases like COVID, you can't spread tuberculosis germs unless it is active in the body and you are experiencing symptoms.
That doesn't mean that latent TB isn't a big deal. In the US, approximately 80% of people who get active tuberculosis develop it from untreated latent TB. That's why it's essential to be aware of potential exposures and seek treatment even if you don't develop symptoms.
Visoot Uthairam/Getty ImagesSigns and symptomsAnyone can get tuberculosis. However, only those with an active infection will exhibit symptoms. According to the CDC, conditions that increase your risk for TB include but are not limited to diabetes, weakened immune system, tobacco use and alcohol abuse. Additionally, tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death for those with HIV.
The signs and symptoms include:
If you have any symptoms or were exposed to someone who does, talk to your doctor immediately to set up a treatment plan. There are two main tests for TB: a skin test and a blood test. Other tests can also be used, like chest x-rays or testing a sample of mucus you cough up.
I mentioned that active and latent TB is curable, though it's not as simple as taking some antibiotics for a couple of weeks, as with other bacterial infections. Depending on the treatment plan, the combinations of medications taken to treat TB will last four, six or nine months. If you don't see your treatment through, it can return.
What this means for youOutbreak or not, your risk of getting tuberculosis is low unless you're in very close contact with a person with active symptoms. Even if you've breathed in TB germs, you cannot spread it to anyone else right away. Transmission is limited to those with active symptoms, not latent TB.
Conditions like a weakened immune system or diabetes can increase your risk. However, it's not something the average person needs to frequently worry about in daily life if they practice good hygiene and have a healthy immune system. It's something to simply be aware of.
Those who have the highest risk for TB:
I know what you may be thinking: It's flu season, and everyone is sick. Not to mention, COVID is still a constant presence and has many symptoms that overlap with TB. They also both attack the lungs. How can I be sure I don't have tuberculosis?
Dusan Petkovic/Getty ImagesDifferences between COVID and tuberculosis:
If you're still unsure, think about if you've spent time around anyone experiencing symptoms. One of the most critical markers is the duration of your cough. Because it's a lung infection, one of the main warning signs of tuberculosis is a persistent cough lasting three or more weeks. It's always worth visiting your doctor, who can test you for the flu, COVID and tuberculosis.
Always get tested if you think you have been exposed. Latent tuberculosis may not actively spread symptoms, though if untreated, it can develop into active TB later.
Efective ways to stop the spread of tuberculosis:
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