Two dead, dozens sick in Kansas Tuberculosis -Outbreak

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A wave of tuberculosis affects Kansas City, Kansas, the metro area, has caused dozens of diseases and at least two deaths, according to the state health department.

Cases related to the outbreak was first reported in January 2024 and there were two reported TB deaths Last year in connection with this outbreak, Jill Bronaugh, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said Tuesday.

“This outbreak is still in progress, which means there could be more cases,” Bronaugh said in an E email. “We work with and follow the guidance of the CDC.”

From Friday there have been at least 67 people treated for confirmed active TB infections in outbreakAnd there have been 79 confirmed latent cases where TB is detected in the body, but it does not cause illness and makes people sick.

TB bacteria spread from person to person through long -term contact with someone who has an active infection. People with Latent infections cannot spread TB bacteria For others, but if the bacteria become active, latent infection can develop into TB disease.

“TB is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria. It spreads through the air when infected people cough, talk or sing, ”Bronaugh said. “Although there is a very low risk of public infection in these communities, KDHE is working to ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment, which will limit the ability to spread this disease and prevent further cases from occurring.”

The State Health Department has not said what caused the outbreak. Affected local health departments work with each patient to identify possible close contacts and complete TB tests at no cost, according to The State Agency’s Web site.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday that four of its employees are on site to help with the answer to the outbreak, including contact tracking, testing and screening.

People who test positive will be further screened to determine if they have active TB disease or a latent TB infection, “which will help determine the best treatment,” according to the State Health Department. The disease can be hardened and treated often with a Standardized course of medications that usually include antibiotics.

“Treatment will be delivered through the patient’s local health department and it will be delivered free of charge if the person is uninsured or the treatment is not covered by health insurance,” according to the State Health Department’s website. “The health department staff will remain in contact with patients throughout the treatment to help them stay on course and tackle any questions or concerns they may have.”

The National Association of County and City Health Officers have closely monitored news about the tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas, but concern is still that there is little information shared at national level, while Federal health agencies have been ordered to pause communication.

“Exchange of information really matters and helps shape and guide these outbreaks, and we have a break in it right now, which is about if we miss important updates or things that can affect how people address the disease, the spread Of that, what to look for and how to stop it, ”Lori Tremmel Freeman said the association’s CEO Tuesday.

Nationally, tuberculosis counts in the United States rose in 2023 among all age groups and in most reporting jurisdictions, according to one Report that was published last year by CDC. The number of reported cases increased slightly from 8,320 in 2022 to 9,615 in 2023, and the rate of TB increased from 2.5 cases per year. 100,000 people by 2022 to 2.9 in 2023. But the report emphasizes that the United States has “one of the lowest TB prices in the world” and that most US residents are at “minimal risk” for TB.

Everyone can get tuberculosis but people have a higher risk of being exposed to TB bacteria if they were Born in or traveling often to countries where the disease is common; If they live in large group settings where TB may be more common, such as Homeless sheltersAt prisons or prisons; Or if they work in places where TB may be more likely to spread, such as hospitals, homeless shelters, correction facilities and nursing homes.

Each year, approx. 10 million people all over the world sick from the disease, although it can be prevented and hardened, and about 1.5 million people die, making it “the world’s top infectious killer” according to World Health Organization.

Along with screening, TB can be prevented with protocols such as vaccination And to ensure that people who are infected end their course of treatment. The vaccine is generally not used in the US because of its Occurrence of low tb.

People who are infected with TB bacteria have up to a 10% lifetime risk of getting sick from the disease, according to WHO and those with compromised immune systems – such as people living with HIV or diabetes or those using tobacco – have a higher risk of getting sick.

Correction: In an earlier version of this report, Kansas Health officials said the ongoing TB outbreak is the largest in the United States since the 1950s. The CDC said Tuesday that there have been at least two US outbreaks that were bigger.