Kansas faces largest tuberculosis outbreak in US history

Kansas is facing an unprecedented outbreak of tuberculosis, one that has been labelled the largest of its kind on record in the US.

According to the Kansas state department of health and environment, as of 24 January, there had been 67 active tuberculosis cases since 2024 and an additional 79 latent or non-active infections. The infections - all since 2024 - were reported in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, which are part of the greater Kansas City area.

Jill Bronaugh, the communications director for the Kansas department of health and environment, described the outbreak as the largest documented tuberculosis outbreak in US history since the federal Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began monitoring and reporting cases of the illness in the 1950s.

“This is mainly due to the rapid number of cases in the short amount of time,” Bronaugh told the Topeka Capital-Journal. “This outbreak is still ongoing, which means that there could be more cases.”

State officials have said that the majority of tuberculosis cases have occurred in Wyandotte county and have emphasised that there is a very low risk to the general public, including the surrounding counties.

The Kansas health and environment department says it has been working with local health agencies in response to the outbreak and is following guidance from the CDC to ensure patients are receiving proper treatment.

In the US, most tuberculosis cases are caused by a bacterium that usually affects the lungs, according to the CDC. The disease spreads from one person to another through the air and is treatable with antibiotics.

There are two types of tuberculosis infections: active and latent (inactive). Active tuberculosis makes individuals feel unwell and can be spread to others. Common symptoms of active tuberculosis include cough, chest pain, coughing up blood, weight loss and chills, according to the CDC. If left untreated, active tuberculosis can be fatal.

Inactive tuberculosis, on the other hand, does not cause symptoms and cannot be transmitted to others. However, individuals with inactive tuberculosis can develop active tuberculosis at any time and become ill, according to the CDC.

Without treatment, one in 10 people with inactive tuberculosis will eventually develop active tuberculosis, the agency has stated.

Shortly after beginning treatment, a person with active tuberculosis disease will no longer be infectious.

The CDC estimates that up to 13 million people in the US live with inactive tuberculosis. In 2023, there were 9,633 reported cases of active tuberculosis in the US, marking the highest count since 2013 and a 15% increase from 2022.

Statistics from the Kansas department of health and environment indicate that there were 51 active tuberculosis cases in 2023, and an estimated 109 cases in 2024, according to provisional data. As of Tuesday, there had been one new case reported in 2025 so far.

While anyone can contract tuberculosis, the CDC said that certain individuals may be at a higher risk. This includes people who live or have lived in large group settings, such as homeless shelters, jails or prisons; people who were born in or frequently travel to countries where the disease is common; individuals who have come into contact with someone who recently had active tuberculosis; those with a weakened or compromised immune system; and those in workplaces where it is more likely to spread, such as hospitals, homeless shelters, correctional facilities and nursing homes.

The CDC recommends that individuals at increased risk be tested for tuberculosis. There are two types of tests available to detect infection: a blood test and a skin test.