Tuberculosis cases rising in US as doctors warn of 'rebound effect'
FOX 10 Phoenix • • health
Key Points:
- Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the U.S. have risen for the third consecutive year, with over 10,600 cases confirmed in 2024, marking the highest annual number since 2013, according to CDC data.
- The increase follows a dip in 2020 attributed to underdiagnosis and reduced screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted TB surveillance and treatment programs nationwide.
- Experts attribute the rise to a rebound of latent TB infections activating post-pandemic, increased international travel, and migration from countries with higher TB prevalence, alongside strained and understaffed public health programs.
- TB is a curable bacterial infection primarily affecting the lungs and spread through airborne particles; symptoms can be mild or severe, and untreated active TB is fatal in about half of cases.
- Prevention and treatment are effective, with high-risk groups advised to undergo testing; treatment requires a full course of antibiotics, and addressing latent TB infections is crucial to controlling spread.
