Caused by bacteria, tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs and spreads easily from person to person through the air. People who have the disease can spread the bacteria when they cough, sneeze or simply talk.
Although TB symptoms can include a cough, chest pain, fever and weakness, many people who have been infected develop what is called a latent TB infection. That means they have TB germs in their body and may need to take antibiotics, but those germs do not make them sick and they cannot spread TB to others unless the infection becomes active — which can happen if the person’s immune system becomes weak.
The latest numbers reflect a 16 percent increase in U.S. tuberculosis cases from 2022 to 2023, and the highest number of TB cases in the country since 2013, the CDC report says. The tally also reflects increases in all age groups and among people born in the United States as well as those born elsewhere, although the report found a larger increase among people born outside the United States vs. U.S.-born individuals (18 percent vs. 9 percent).
Despite the recent increases, the CDC report describes the incidence of TB in the United States as “among the lowest in the world.”
Worldwide, TB is most common among people living in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO says that, globally, about 10 million people develop TB each year and 1.3 million people died of TB in 2022.
This article is part of The Post’s “Big Number” series, which takes a brief look at the statistical aspect of health issues. Additional information and relevant research are available through the hyperlinks.