🦠 As of March 2025, Kansas is facing one of the most significant tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks in recent U.S. history. With 147 confirmed cases, including 67 active TB infections and 80 latent cases, health officials are working swiftly to contain the spread. While active TB is symptomatic and contagious, latent TB infection (LTBI) is a dormant form of the disease that is not transmissible but can reactivate under certain conditions.

This outbreak—centered in Kansas City and nearby counties—has reignited global discussions around TB, a disease that was once on the decline but is now resurging due to compounding health system challenges.

🧬 A Disease with Ancient Roots

TB is not new. Evidence suggests it has afflicted humans for over 9,000 years, with early descriptions appearing in ancient Greek medical texts as “phthisis,” meaning “wasting disease.” For centuries, TB was known by various names—“consumption,” “white plague,” and “robber of youth”—reflecting its devastating toll, especially on young adults.

Scientific understanding advanced significantly in the late 1800s when Robert Koch discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for the disease. His work is now commemorated annually on World TB Day, March 24.

🌬️ How TB Spreads

TB primarily spreads through airborne droplets released when a person with active disease coughs, sneezes, or speaks. The bacteria can remain suspended in the air, especially in enclosed spaces, making it highly infectious. Although rare, TB can also be contracted from unpasteurized dairy or contaminated medical materials like bone grafts.

In Kansas, the outbreak has disproportionately affected low-income communities, with two fatalities reported so far. An untreated case can potentially infect 10–15 others, underlining the urgency of timely diagnosis and treatment.

📉 How COVID-19 Set Back TB Progress

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted TB control efforts worldwide. Between 2020 and 2023, global TB incidence increased by 4.6%, reversing decades of progress. In the U.S., TB cases rose by over 15% between 2022 and 2023. Contributing factors included:

• Reduced access to healthcare services
• Delays in diagnosis and treatment
• Shortages of critical TB medications

Globally, these disruptions may have resulted in nearly 700,000 additional TB-related deaths.

💊 Current TB Treatment Approaches

Modern TB treatment involves a combination of antibiotics administered over several months:

• Latent TB: Often treated with 4 months of rifampin or 3 months of isoniazid plus rifapentine
• Active TB: Requires 6 months or more of a four-drug regimen (commonly referred to as RIPE: Rifampin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, and Ethambutol)

Cases involving multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) demand longer treatment with second-line medications, which are often more toxic and less effective. Side effects of TB drugs can include liver damage, nerve pain, and gastrointestinal issues, making early detection and prevention of disease progression vital.

🧭 Public Health Response: Education and Early Action

TB remains one of the most serious infectious diseases globally, second only to COVID-19 in terms of mortality in recent years. While the Kansas outbreak has raised alarms, it also highlights the importance of:

• Community screening programs
• Contact tracing
• Awareness about latent TB infection

Many people carry the bacteria without knowing it. Without intervention, these latent cases could turn into future outbreaks.

“Early identification and timely treatment are key to breaking the transmission chain,” said experts monitoring the Kansas outbreak.

📢 Final Takeaway

The resurgence of TB—both in Kansas and globally—is a reminder that diseases we once thought under control can quickly return when surveillance, prevention, and care are disrupted. Continued investment in public health systems, diagnostics, and community outreach is essential to protect individuals and prevent large-scale outbreaks.

📖 Reference

Dobos, K., & Henao-Tamayo, M. (2025). As tuberculosis cases rise in the US and worldwide, health officials puzzle over the resurgence of a disease once in decline. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/as-tuberculosis-cases-rise-in-the-us-and-worldwide-health-officials-puzzle-over-the-resurgence-of-a-disease-once-in-decline-249450