Off The Record
The Largest Tuberculosis Outbreak In US History Is Currently Affecting Two Counties In Kansas, With 67 Active Cases
Health experts are cautioning that the spread of the “unprecedented” TB outbreak in Kansas City, which is affecting two counties, may not yet be contained.
As of January 24, 2025, 67 persons in Wyandotte and Johnson counties have been affected by the greatest TB outbreak in U.S. history. Johnson County had seven cases, compared to 60 in Wyandotte County.
In 2024, the TB outbreak was initially documented. Jill Bronaugh, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), said the outbreak has since expanded to become the greatest known outbreak in U.S. history. “This is mainly due to the rapid number of cases in the short amount of time,” she stated.
The KDHE estimates a “very low risk” to the general population, including neighboring counties, despite the outbreak’s severity, which has mostly afflicted Wyandotte County. Officials advise ongoing attention to stop the spread, though.
“This outbreak is still ongoing, which means that there could be more cases,” Bronaugh stated. “There are a few other states that currently have large outbreaks that are also ongoing.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating with KDHE and local health authorities to combat the outbreak. They work to treat infected people, keep track of cases, and put policies in place to stop new infections.
The number of TB cases in the state has significantly decreased, but the Kansas City metro region is still dealing with this outbreak. KDHE reported 626 latent infections and 109 active cases in 2024. These figures were decreased to seven latent infections and one active case by the beginning of 2025.
Although the state has made progress, the TB outbreak is still a worry. According to Ashley Goss, deputy secretary for KDHE, the outbreak started last summer with 65 active cases and an equal number of latent infections. Since then, the number of active cases has decreased to roughly 32, indicating containment efforts.
In a recent interview with the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, Goss described the outbreak as “unprecedented”. “Some of you are aware, we have and still have mobilized staff and resources addressing an unprecedented tuberculosis outbreak in one of our counties,” Goss stated to lawmakers.
She reiterated, “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. We are trending in the right direction right now.”
According to Goss, after taking medicine for 10 days and having three negative sputum tests, active TB patients are usually no longer contagious. “They can go about their lives; they don’t have to stay away from people, and they can go back to work and do the things, as long as they continue to take their meds,” she said.
Both latent and active TB cases usually require several months of treatment. Additionally, KDHE is collaborating with a number of sizable employers who are impacted by the outbreak. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), which mainly affects the lungs but can also extend to the brain, kidneys, or spine.
There are two types of TB: active and inactive (latent). Latent TB happens when the germs are dormant, which means the patient is asymptomatic and unable to transmit the illness. However, latent TB can become active TB disease, which is infectious and potentially fatal if treatment is not received.
Symptoms of active tuberculosis include fever, chills, night sweats, exhaustion, weight loss, coughing up blood or mucus, chest pain, and a persistent cough that lasts for three weeks or more.
When someone with active tuberculosis coughs, talks, or sings, the disease is transferred through the air, especially in confined areas with inadequate ventilation. People in the vicinity run the danger of becoming infected because the bacteria can linger in the air for hours.
Treatment of latent TB is necessary to prevent its progression to the active stage. To eradicate the infection and stop its spread, active TB disease requires several months of antibiotic treatment.
To control TB and lower the danger of serious epidemics, early detection, appropriate treatment, and public awareness are essential.
The quick spread of the outbreak has highlighted the significance of early discovery, treatment, and public awareness in averting future escalation, even as health officials continue to monitor and control it.
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