Kansas is currently facing a significant tuberculosis (TB) outbreak, but federal health officials are pushing back on claims that it is the largest in U.S. history.
Kansas TB Outbreak: Breaking Down the Numbers
On January 21, 2025, Ashley Goss, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), informed the state’s Public Health and Welfare Committee that Kansas was experiencing its most extensive TB outbreak ever. KDHE Communications Director Jill Bronaugh later stated that the outbreak is “the largest documented outbreak in U.S. history” since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began monitoring TB cases in the 1950s.
As of January 24, 2025, KDHE reported 67 active TB cases and 79 latent infections in the Kansas City area. Two TB-related deaths were also reported in 2024.
CDC Counters Largest-Outbreak Claim
The CDC, however, has refuted this claim, citing a previous outbreak in Atlanta that began in 2008, which resulted in over 170 active TB cases and more than 400 latent infections by 2017. Another incident in 2021 involved 87 of 113 bone graft recipients developing TB after exposure to infected donor tissue.
What Is Tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but can impact other organs. The disease spreads through airborne particles expelled when an infected individual coughs, speaks or sneezes. TB bacteria can remain in the air for hours, increasing transmission risks in confined spaces.
TB infections are classified into two types:
- Latent TB Infection (LTBI): The bacteria are present in the body but inactive, causing no symptoms and not being contagious. However, 1 in 10 latent infections can progress to active TB if untreated.
- Active TB Disease: Symptoms include chronic cough (lasting over three weeks), coughing up blood, chest pain, fever, weight loss, and night sweats. Without treatment, active TB can be fatal.
National TB Trends: Are Cases Rising?
The U.S. has seen a steady rise in TB cases since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 9,633 cases reported in 2023, a 15% increase from 2022. TB cases had been declining for nearly three decades before the pandemic, with the lowest recorded cases in 2020 (7,170 cases).
Is the Kansas TB Outbreak a Public Health Threat?
Despite the increase in cases, Kansas health officials maintain that the risk to the general public remains low. TB primarily spreads in settings with prolonged close contact, such as homeless shelters, prisons, healthcare facilities, and among individuals with weakened immune systems.
How to Prevent and Treat TB
The CDC emphasizes that TB is preventable and treatable with antibiotics. Common TB treatment includes a six-month antibiotic regimen that significantly reduces the risk of spreading the disease.
Largest TB Outbreak or Not?
While Kansas officials assert that this outbreak is unprecedented, the CDC maintains that past outbreaks have been larger. Regardless of the ranking, the rising TB cases underscore the need for continued public health vigilance, early detection, and effective treatment strategies.
For the latest updates and resources on TB prevention and treatment, visit the CDC’s official website or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.