The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that the number of tuberculosis cases in the United States in 2023 was the highest in a decade. According to the CDC, there were 9,615 cases reported in 2023, an increase of 1,295 cases from the previous year.
Dr. Philip LoBue, director of the CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, stated that while they expected TB numbers to rise, the 2023 count was higher than anticipated. The CDC data shows that nearly 10,000 infections were reported in 2013.
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily targets the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Symptoms of TB include chest pains, a prolonged cough with blood, weakness, weight loss, fever, and loss of appetite.
The CDC emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to eliminate TB, especially in communities with higher rates of the disease. They also highlighted the need to strengthen public health programs to carry out disease control and prevention strategies.
Cases of tuberculosis declined sharply at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic but have been on the rise since then. The CDC’s report underscores the ongoing global impact of tuberculosis as one of the leading infectious disease killers.
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