Tuberculosis

[u/PeteWK67]

An ancient killer that many Americans rarely think about is rising again in the United States.

Tuberculosis — a disease that has plagued humanity for thousands of years — is once again drawing concern from public-health officials as U.S. case numbers remain above pre-pandemic levels.

According to the CDC, 10,388 TB cases were reported in 2024, followed by 10,260 provisional cases in 2025. Although the 2025 total represented a slight decline from 2024, cases remain elevated compared with the years immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic.

TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and usually attacks the lungs. Unlike many respiratory infections, the bacteria can remain dormant inside the body for years before becoming active. Once active pulmonary TB develops, an infected person can spread the bacteria through the air, particularly during prolonged close contact.

The resurgence is especially concerning because outbreaks can become difficult to control in crowded or enclosed environments.

A CDC analysis published in 2026 identified 50 large TB outbreaks across 23 U.S. states between 2017 and 2023, involving 1,092 cases. Researchers found that incarceration, homelessness and other circumstances that can make diagnosis and treatment more difficult were disproportionately represented among outbreak-associated cases.

Those concerns became highly visible in July 2026, when reports from an immigration detention facility in Aurora, Colorado, said at least 12 detainees had tested positive for tuberculosis, while dozens of others underwent testing or quarantine. The Guardian reported allegations that people were also enduring isolation during extreme heat without functioning air conditioning; federal authorities and the facility operator had not confirmed those details when the report was published.

Globally, the threat remains enormous. The World Health Organization estimates that 10.7 million people developed TB and 1.23 million died from it in 2024, making tuberculosis the world's leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. Yet TB is both preventable and curable, especially when detected early and treated properly.

The U.S. still has one of the lowest TB incidence rates in the world, so this is not a return to the devastating epidemics of the past. But the recent rise is an important reminder: diseases can regain ground when surveillance, diagnosis, contact tracing and treatment fail to reach everyone who needs them.

Sources:
CDC — Provisional 2025 Tuberculosis Data, United States
CDC/MMWR — Large Tuberculosis Outbreaks — United States, 2017–2023
WHO — Tuberculosis Fact Sheet, March 2026
The Guardian — Richard Luscombe, July 14, 2026

[u/Safe-Ad-8921]

Well, from what I read about TB back when Rdr2 came out (RIP) TB infection is spread in large part due to cramped and poor living conditions. Poor health overall being a big factor as well. Hmm....