Kansas Confronts Record-Breaking Tuberculosis Outbreak in U.S. History – One America News Network
OAN Staff Abril Elfi
3:03 PM – Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Health authorities in Kansas, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have declared that the state is currently experiencing the “largest tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in U.S. history.”
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The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) revealed that, as of January 24th, there were at least 60 confirmed active tuberculosis cases in Wyandotte County and seven in Johnson County.
In addition, 77 latent TB cases have been confirmed in Wyandotte County, along with two in Johnson County.
KDHE elaborated that the outbreak was initially identified in January 2024, and thus far, two deaths have been linked to it — both occurring last year.
“The ongoing tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Kansas City, Kansas, is the largest recorded outbreak in U.S. history, as documented since the 1950s when the CDC began monitoring TB cases,” KDHE stated. “This outbreak is still active, which indicates that further cases may emerge.”
A spokesperson from the CDC indicated that a previous outbreak from 2015-2017 resulted in over 170 TB cases and more than 400 inactive TB cases, while a 2021 outbreak linked to a contaminated bone graft product infected 113 individuals.
Health officials assess that the risk to the general public and residents of neighboring counties is “very low” and are proceeding in accordance with CDC recommendations.
The CDC has advised concerned residents of Kansas that Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis. This organism is one of the most prevalent infectious disease killers globally.
TB spreads through the air from person to person. The bacteria are released into the atmosphere when an individual with tuberculosis coughs, talks, or sings. Moreover, these germs can linger in the air for several hours before potentially infecting others.
Common symptoms of TB include: a persistent cough lasting three weeks or more, coughing up blood or sputum, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, chills, and night sweats.
Latent or Inactive TB can occur as well, where individuals are infected with TB bacteria that reside in their bodies for years without showing any illness symptoms. Those with inactive TB are not contagious, but if left untreated, they can develop active TB later on.
In the previous year, the United States reported over 8,700 TB cases according to CDC statistics.
Several treatment options for TB exist, with durations ranging from four to nine months, depending on the treatment plan implemented.
A vaccine referred to as Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is administered to children in regions where TB is prevalent. However, in the U.S., it is typically not recommended due to the low risk of infection, variable vaccine efficacy among adults, and potential interference with TB testing.
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