Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 23 Mar 2025
Tuberculosis Cases in the US Are At the Highest Levels in Decades; What Are the Symptoms to Note?
Both the number of cases and the rate of infections have significantly risen and the rates are up among all age groups
The record number of tuberculosis cases in the US has reached its highest levels in more than a dozen years, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 10,300 cases were reported last year—an 8 per cent increase from 2023 and the highest since 2011, the CDC data said.
According to the health body, both the number of cases and the rate of infections have significantly risen, and the rates are up among all age groups across 34 states.
Why are TB cases rising in the US?
Health officials say the cases are on the rise mainly due to international travel and migration, as a large number of cases are diagnosed in those born in other countries. Other illnesses that weaken the immune system and allow latent TB infections to emerge may also be at play.
Outbreaks in several states have contributed to recent trends, which include a 148 per cent jump in Kansas City last year. The States of Alaska and Hawaii also continue to have the highest case rates.
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is an illness caused by a bacterial infection that commonly affects your lungs along with other areas of your body like the spine, brain, or kidneys. According to experts, not everyone infected with TB gets sick, but if you are infected but have no symptoms, it is known as inactive tuberculosis or latent TB.
However, TB can become active if your immune system weakens, which may not be able to stop the bacteria from growing.
What causes TB, and what are the risk factors?
Doctors say tuberculosis spreads when a person with the condition coughs, sneezes, talks, sings, or laughs. Only those who have an active lung infection are contagious. You usually have to spend a lot of time in contact with someone contagious to catch TB. Most people who breathe in TB bacteria can fight the bacteria and stop it from growing.
You might be at a higher risk for TB exposure if you
- Are a resident or employee in group settings where TB can spread, such as jails, hospices, skilled nursing facilities, shelters, and other healthcare facilities
- Work in a mycobacterial laboratory
- Have lived in a region where TB is common, like Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Russia
- Have been in contact with someone who’s known or suspected to have TB disease
- Have kidney disease, diabetes, or other chronic illness
- Have received an organ transplant
- Are on chemotherapy treatment for cancer
Signs and symptoms of tuberculosis
A few common signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis include:
- Bad cough that lasts more than a week
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood or sputum
- Fatigue or weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Chills and fever
- Night sweats
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