Are you at risk? Shocking details on the outbreak threatening Kansas with 67 cases reported!
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The quiet of the new year was disrupted in Kansas by an unexpected and concerning health alert: a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak has taken hold in the northeastern part of the state.
With 67 cases reported since January, local communities are on high alert, and health officials are working tirelessly to contain the spread. Are you at risk?
This outbreak, with 60 active cases in Wyandotte County and seven in Johnson County, is not just a local concern—it's made national headlines as the largest tuberculosis outbreak in recent US history, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has been tracking the situation closely, noting that since 2024, there have been 77 cases in Wyandotte County and two latent cases in Johnson County, which is adjacent to the Missouri border.
Tuberculosis is an ancient disease, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and it has two forms: latent TB infection and active TB disease.
Latent TB is a sleeping giant; those infected have no symptoms and are not contagious. However, without treatment, latent TB can awaken into active TB disease, which can cause severe illness and spread to others.
The outbreak poses “very low risk to the general public, including the surrounding counties,” officials stated in the announcement. Local health departments are collaborating with patients to identify close contacts and provide free testing, regardless of insurance status.
How does tuberculosis spread?
Patients with TB germs in their bodies but do not get sick are affected by inactive TB or latent TB infection. These people experience no symptoms and cannot spread TB to others. However, if they don’t get treatment, inactive TB can develop into active TB, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
TB spreads through the air. When someone with active TB disease in their lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings, they release TB germs into the air.
These germs can linger for hours, especially in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. Close contacts, such as family members, friends, or coworkers, are at the highest risk of infection.
People with active TB disease have the highest probability of spreading TB germs to people they spend time with everyday, as per the CDC.
TB symptoms: The warning signs
Active TB disease can be stealthy, with symptoms that include:
Who's at risk for tuberculosis?
Certain groups are more vulnerable to TB. Those at higher risk include:
While there is a TB vaccine, the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), it's not commonly used in the United States, but usually in countries where the disease is more prevalent, this vaccine is used on infants and small children.
“Tell your health care provider if you have received the TB vaccine, especially if you are getting tested for TB infection because it can cause a false positive TB skin test reaction,” the CDC stated. “TB blood tests are the preferred tests for people who have received the BCG TB vaccine.”
Source: TED-Ed / Youtube.
Instead, TB infection and disease are treated with a course of antibiotics. Latent TB treatment can range from three, four, six or nine months, depending on the plan used. It may include usage of medications such as Rifapentine, Isoniazid, and Rifampin.
Meanwhile, active TB disease requires a longer, more intensive regimen of multiple medications such as Ethambutol, Isoniazid, Moxifloxacin, Rifampin, Rifapentine or Pyrazinamide, according to the CDC.
Also read: Is the HMPV virus taking over your state?
Have you or someone you know been affected by TB? Do you have questions about the outbreak or TB in general? Share your thoughts and concerns in the comments below!
With 67 cases reported since January, local communities are on high alert, and health officials are working tirelessly to contain the spread. Are you at risk?
This outbreak, with 60 active cases in Wyandotte County and seven in Johnson County, is not just a local concern—it's made national headlines as the largest tuberculosis outbreak in recent US history, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has been tracking the situation closely, noting that since 2024, there have been 77 cases in Wyandotte County and two latent cases in Johnson County, which is adjacent to the Missouri border.
Tuberculosis is an ancient disease, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and it has two forms: latent TB infection and active TB disease.
Latent TB is a sleeping giant; those infected have no symptoms and are not contagious. However, without treatment, latent TB can awaken into active TB disease, which can cause severe illness and spread to others.
Kansas health officials have reported a TB outbreak in the northeastern part of the state, with 67 cases since the beginning of January. Image source: AFP News Agency / Youtube.
The outbreak poses “very low risk to the general public, including the surrounding counties,” officials stated in the announcement. Local health departments are collaborating with patients to identify close contacts and provide free testing, regardless of insurance status.
How does tuberculosis spread?
Patients with TB germs in their bodies but do not get sick are affected by inactive TB or latent TB infection. These people experience no symptoms and cannot spread TB to others. However, if they don’t get treatment, inactive TB can develop into active TB, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
TB spreads through the air. When someone with active TB disease in their lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings, they release TB germs into the air.
These germs can linger for hours, especially in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. Close contacts, such as family members, friends, or coworkers, are at the highest risk of infection.
People with active TB disease have the highest probability of spreading TB germs to people they spend time with everyday, as per the CDC.
TB symptoms: The warning signs
Active TB disease can be stealthy, with symptoms that include:
- a persistent cough lasting three weeks or more
- chest pain
- coughing up blood
- fatigue
- weight loss
- loss of appetite
- chills
- fever
- night sweats
Who's at risk for tuberculosis?
Certain groups are more vulnerable to TB. Those at higher risk include:
- individuals born or traveling frequently to countries where TB is more common such as Asian, African, and Latin American countries
- residents of group settings like shelters or prisons
- people with weakened immune systems
- healthcare workers or others who work in environments where TB is more likely to spread.
While there is a TB vaccine, the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), it's not commonly used in the United States, but usually in countries where the disease is more prevalent, this vaccine is used on infants and small children.
“Tell your health care provider if you have received the TB vaccine, especially if you are getting tested for TB infection because it can cause a false positive TB skin test reaction,” the CDC stated. “TB blood tests are the preferred tests for people who have received the BCG TB vaccine.”
Source: TED-Ed / Youtube.
Instead, TB infection and disease are treated with a course of antibiotics. Latent TB treatment can range from three, four, six or nine months, depending on the plan used. It may include usage of medications such as Rifapentine, Isoniazid, and Rifampin.
Meanwhile, active TB disease requires a longer, more intensive regimen of multiple medications such as Ethambutol, Isoniazid, Moxifloxacin, Rifampin, Rifapentine or Pyrazinamide, according to the CDC.
Also read: Is the HMPV virus taking over your state?
Have you or someone you know been affected by TB? Do you have questions about the outbreak or TB in general? Share your thoughts and concerns in the comments below!
