By Allison Kozicharow; Edited by Elizabeth Fine
The Kansas City, Kansas metro area is experiencing the largest outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in U.S. history, with 67 active cases reported so far. TB is preventable and curable, but if left untreated the disease can be fatal.
Though the risk to the general public in Kansas and nationwide is considered low, the outbreak is troubling: globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares TB resurgence to be a “top infectious disease killer.”
TB, short for tubercle bacillus, is a contagious disease caused by germs called Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are spread from person to person through the air. TB usually affects the lungs, but it also can affect other parts of the body such as the brain, the kidneys or the spine.
For more information, WiRED International offers a TB module specifically targeted to general audiences and which contains information about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis. WHO estimates that a quarter of the world’s population carries the TB bacteria and 1.25 million died in 2023. According to WHO, what makes people vulnerable to TB, especially in today’s world?
- Undernutrition
- HIV infection
- Alcohol use disorders
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Poverty
- GDP per capita
- Climate change
- Conflict
- Migration
- Displacement
- Pandemics
- Drug-resistant TB
- Funding shortfall
Sadly, TB can be deadly without antibiotics, and access to treatment is lacking in low-resource countries. WiRED trains community health workers (CHWs) to fill the void by providing clinical testing for TB, reporting to health authorities as needed and following up on a person’s progress. CHWs also offer vital prevention measures and ways to spot signs and symptoms of TB.
WiRED will continue to follow TB outbreaks globally and provide updates.
WiRED Module on Bird Flu in the Works and Available Soon!
Bird flu is more and more in the news. WiRED is creating a new peer-reviewed module on the illness to be added to our health education repertoire of 400+ modules. The latest news from the New York Times on bird flu show the disease has struck more than 900 herds of cattle in the U.S. and dozens of people, killing one — with no signs of stopping.