A significant tuberculosis (TB) outbreak has emerged in the Kansas City metro area, marking the largest documented case since 1950. Since January 2024, KDHE reported 67 active TB cases and 79 latent cases in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, with most linked to Wyandotte County. The KC metro health department has collaborated with local agencies to address the spread of this deadly disease, adhering to CDC guidelines for treatment.
Dr. Jill Bronaugh, KDHE’s communications director, stated that the current KC outbreak is the largest on record in U.S. history and is still ongoing, potentially leading to more cases as the CDC reviews provisional findings. Two TB-related deaths were reported in 2024.
While the general public poses minimal risk of infection from this outbreak, KDHE emphasizes ensuring appropriate treatment for patients to prevent further spread.
The outbreak follows a rise in TB cases nationwide, with 9,633 cases reported in the U.S. in 2023—a 15% increase from 2022 and the highest since 2013. Recent data highlights that most new infections are among individuals born outside the country, underscoring the global need for TB prevention and control efforts.
In 2024, KDHE identified 79 active TB cases and 213 latent TB cases in KC, all of which are being reviewed by the CDC for confirmation. This latest outbreak follows a significant MDR-TB cluster in KC earlier this year involving 13 individuals. In prior years (2019-2021), an average of 37 to 43 TB cases were reported annually in Kansas, with numbers rising to 52 in 2022 due to the current outbreak.
The growing incidence of TB is a pressing global health concern, as indicated by WHO data showing 8.2 million diagnosed cases worldwide in 2023—its highest number since WHO began monitoring in 1995. This latest KC outbreak underscores the urgent need for effective TB control measures to address this ongoing public health crisis.
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/tuberculosis/kansas-tuberculosis-outbreak-now-largest-us