NEW YORK (AP) — Tuberculosis cases in the U.S. reached their highest levels in more than a dozen years last year, with over 10,300 cases reported, marking an 8% increase from 2023 and the highest since 2011, according to preliminary data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both the number of cases and infection rates rose, affecting all age groups, with 34 states reporting an increase.
CDC officials attribute the rise primarily to international travel and migration, as the majority of TB cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in individuals born in other countries. Other factors, such as illnesses weakening the immune system and allowing latent TB infections to surface, may also be contributing to the increase.
Outbreaks in various states, including one in the Kansas City, Kansas area, have contributed to recent TB trends. In Kansas, the TB rate surged by 148% last year according to the latest CDC data. Alaska and Hawaii continue to have the highest case rates.
Tuberculosis, caused by airborne bacteria that typically target the lungs, can be fatal if not treated properly. Historically, TB was a major cause of death in the late 1800s, but advancements in antibiotics and public health efforts have led to a decline in cases over the years.
The new CDC statistics do not indicate the number of new infections but rather the count of diagnosed cases in individuals showing symptoms such as a persistent cough.
[Note: The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.]
