Kansas Tuberculosis Outbreak One of Largest Ever in US

An unprecedented tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Kansas has reached historic levels, becoming one of the largest ever recorded in U.S. history. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has reported 67 active cases since 2024, with 60 in Wyandotte County and 7 in Johnson County. Additionally, 79 latent infections—77 in Wyandotte County and 2 in Johnson County—have been identified. "Currently, Kansas has the largest outbreak that they've ever had in history," Ashley Goss, a deputy secretary at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), told the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee on January 21, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. A KDHE spokesperson later clarified the statement, explaining that the current outbreak "is the largest documented outbreak in U.S. history." Newsweek contacted the KDHE via email for further comment. However, the CDC has refuted this assertion, pointing to two larger TB outbreaks in the U.S. in recent history. One, which spread through homeless shelters in Georgia between 2015 and 2017, saw 170 active and more than 400 latent cases recorded. The other, a nationwide outbreak in 2021 that was linked to contaminated tissue used in bone transplants, affected 113 patients.

Why This Matters

TB, though treatable, remains a serious infectious disease that can lead to complications and fatalities if untreated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate 13 million Americans live with inactive TB and about 10 percent of these individuals could develop active TB without treatment. The sharp rise in TB cases—from 51 statewide in 2023 to 109 in 2024—has placed a spotlight on public health measures. Kansas health officials are actively working to contain the outbreak, partnering with the CDC to prevent further transmission.

What to Know

TB is caused by bacteria that primarily attack the lungs but can affect other parts of the body. The infection spreads through the air via coughs or speech but requires prolonged contact for transmission. Active TB disease makes individuals sick and is infectious, while latent TB infections are dormant, non-contagious and symptom-free but can become active. Treatment is available for both active and latent TB infections and involves a several-month regimen of antibiotics. Active TB patients are typically non-contagious after 10 days of treatment. Wyandotte County has been the hardest hit, but health officials maintain that the general public remains at "very low risk."

What People Are Saying

Goss told the Senate Committee: "Some of you are aware, we have and still have mobilized staff and resources addressing an unprecedented tuberculosis outbreak in one of our counties. We are working collaboratively with CDC on that. CDC remains on the ground with us to support. That's not a negative. "This is normal when there's something unprecedented or a large outbreak of any kind, they will come and lend resources to us to help get a stop to that."

What Happens Next

Kansas health officials and the CDC are continuing their collaborative response to the outbreak. Their efforts include identifying and testing individuals who have been in close contact with TB patients and ensuring that both active and latent cases receive proper treatment. Vaccinations for TB are available in the U.S., though they are seldom used, according to the CDC. For now, Goss said that infections are "trending in the right direction." Is there a health problem that's worrying you? Do you have a question about low blood pressure? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice and your story could be featured in Newsweek. Correction 01/31/25, 5:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated to reflect the fact that the current TB outbreak in Kansas is not the largest in U.S. record, according to the CDC.