The United States is currently grappling with its largest recorded tuberculosis (TB) outbreak, primarily concentrated in Kansas. This alarming situation, which appears to have been ongoing since 2021 with a significant increase in reported cases since 2024, is further complicated by the fact that the circulating form of tuberculosis exhibits resistance to two common treatment methods. Adding to the complexity, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other government organizations are currently unable to publicly comment on the outbreak due to a communication pause implemented by the Trump administration, as reported by The Washington Post.

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, there is indeed a tuberculosis outbreak in the state. Since 2024, the department has documented 66 active cases of tuberculosis and 79 latent infections. Thomas Russo, MD, a professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, explains that