The Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed a tuberculosis outbreak in Wyandotte County on Thursday, with more cases than the entire state saw last year.

In response to questions from Kansas News Service about the outbreak, a KDHE spokeswoman confirmed that there have been 49 recorded cases of tuberculosis in Wyandotte County since the beginning of the year. She said the federal government recorded 46 cases across Kansas last year.

In neighboring Johnson County, there have been seven more confirmed cases this year.

A total of 75 people have been treated for the lung disease nationwide this year and two people have died. Officials say the disease requires Constant contact for distribution.

“These communities pose a very low risk of infection to the general population,” KDHE communications director Jill Bronaugh told Kansas News Service in an email.

County and state health departments are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Ensuring patients receive the right treatment will limit the spread of the disease and prevent further cases from occurring,” Bronaugh said.

Anyone who suspects they have come into contact with tuberculosis should contact their local health authority.

A Status Dashboard The version updated every Wednesday contains further data on the cases.

Tuberculosis is a respiratory disease that is not widespread in the United States. 40 states and Washington, DC, reported an increase in 2023.

Dr. Allen Greiner serves as the local health officer for the Wyandotte County Unified Government Public Health Department. He has served in this role for more than 20 years and also works as a primary care physician for the University of Kansas Health System.

Greiner called the current increase in cases in Wyandotte County “unprecedented.” Wyandotte County normally sees fewer than 10 cases annually, and he has never seen such a large increase in tuberculosis cases.

According to Greiner, there has been a small cluster of cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Wyandotte County since 2021. According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionHealth authorities diagnosed 13 people with active cases and nine people with latent cases of the disease. Greiner said the health department has been able to successfully treat those patients. Greiner said there have been no new cases of the drug-resistant strain in a year and the version currently circulating is not drug-resistant.

Tuberculosis requires intensive treatment. According to Greiner, during the current outbreak, it was difficult for the health department to get people to undergo tests and treatment due to a lack of trust in the medical system.

About Tuberculosis:

According to the CDCThere are two types of tuberculosis: latent tuberculosis and active tuberculosis. In latent tuberculosis, sufferers are not contagious and have no symptoms. In the active form of the disease, sufferers experience symptoms such as persistent cough, fever and weight loss and can spread tuberculosis.

Like COVID-19, tuberculosis is an airborne disease. However, it is a much harder to catch than the coronavirus. The CDC website says there are several prescription drugs available in the United States to treat tuberculosis. Treatment can last between four and nine months to ensure the bacteria are under control and cannot infect other people. It is crucial that infected people take all their medications.

If left untreated, tuberculosis can be fatal. According to the World Health Organization.

People with weakened immune systems, who have AIDS, HIV or diabetes, or who drink alcohol or smoke, have a higher risk of developing tuberculosis.

Last autumn a handful of people at Olathe Northwest High School tested positive for tuberculosis. Previously A small number of cases have been identified in Wyandotte County.

Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga covers health care inequalities and access for Kansas News Service. You can email her at [email protected].

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio with a focus on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

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