Tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas City grows; one of largest in U.S. history

An outbreak of tuberculosis in the Kansas City area has grown into 1 of the largest ever recorded successful the United States, with dozens of progressive cases of the infectious illness reported, according to wellness officials.

As of Jan. 24, 67 progressive cases of tuberculosis, oregon TB, had been reported successful Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas.

The outbreak began past year, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said connected its website. It did not specify a root of the outbreak.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is monitoring 384 radical for TB vulnerability and helping with investigating and treatment, a spokesperson said successful a statement.

“While this outbreak is larger than normal, the hazard remains debased for the wide public,” the spokesperson said.

Tuberculosis, which spreads done the air, is caused by a bacterium that typically affects the lungs, but tin besides interaction different parts of the body, specified arsenic the brain, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If not treated, it tin beryllium fatal.

People tin go infected with tuberculosis germs that tin unrecorded successful the assemblage for years without causing symptoms, called inactive, oregon latent, TB. Without receiving treatment, those radical tin make active tuberculosis at immoderate time.

Since 2024, 79 latent infections person been reported successful the Kansas City, Kansas, area, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

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Four unit from the CDC are connected tract providing assistance with interaction tracing, investigating and screening and moving with assemblage leaders connected wellness education, an bureau spokesperson said.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The U.S. recorded 8,649 cases of tuberculosis last year, and 9,606 successful 2023, according to the CDC.

Tuberculosis replaced COVID-19 arsenic the top origin for infectious disease-related deaths in 2023, according to a World Health Organization study published successful October, highlighting challenges successful the planetary effort successful eradicating the disease.

While anyone tin contract tuberculosis, it is astir commonly recovered successful radical who unrecorded oregon utilized to unrecorded successful ample radical settings oregon those who often question to countries where tuberculosis is common.

The largest tuberculosis outbreak in the U.S. occurred from 2015 done 2017 astatine a stateless structure successful Georgia, which was liable for much than 170 progressive cases and much than 400 latent cases, according to the CDC, which began tracking TB cases successful the 1950s.