TB outbreak in the Kansas City area
Kansas state health officials report a large outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, in the Kansas City area.
According to officials, the case tally for active and latent infections as of January 24 are as follows:
Cases linked to the outbreak were first reported in January 2024, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). So far, there have been two deaths related to the outbreak, both of which occurred last year.
Following standard practice in infectious disease investigations, local health departments are working with each patient to identify possible close contacts and conduct TB testing at no cost.
Patients who test positive will be further screened to determine if they have active TB disease or latent TB infection, which will help determine the best treatment. Treatment will be provided through the patient's local health department, and it will be provided for free if the person is uninsured or the treatment isn’t covered by health insurance.
Treatment will be provided through the patient's local health department and will be provided for free if the person is uninsured or the treatment isn’t covered by health insurance.
Health department staff will remain in touch with patients throughout treatment to help them stay on course and address any questions or concerns they may have.
TB is caused by a bacterium that usually affects the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body.
There are two types of TB infection: 1) active TB disease, which makes people feel sick and can be spread to others and 2) latent TB infection, which is inactive, doesn't make people feel sick, and can’t be spread to others.
TB spreads through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs, speaks, or sings. Prolonged contact is how it spreads from person-to-person.
TB is not spread by kissing, shaking hands, sharing food, drink or toothbrushes, or by touching objects like bed linens or toilet seats.
TB is treatable with antibiotics. Shortly after beginning treatment, a person with active TB disease will no longer be infectious.
While it’s been reported by some that this is the largest TB outbreak in US history, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that is incorrect.