After what was a substantial decline in 2020, tuberculosis cases in the U.S. rebounded by 5 percent in 2022, up again for the second year in a row, according to the CDC.
Although TB transmission rates have not come back to pre-pandemic levels, the populations that saw the sharpest increases concerning CDC officials include children 4 years of age and younger, incarcerated individuals, and individuals who are from minority ethnic backgrounds.
"The message is loud and clear — TB is still here. For the second year in a row, TB disease cases in the U.S. have continued to rise, with concerning increases among young children and other groups at increased risk for TB disease," Philip LoBue, MD, director of CDC's Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, said in a March 23 statement shared with Becker's. "Communities, providers and public health partners must work together to make sure we are reaching the right people with testing and treatment, so we can prevent and stop the spread of TB."
Treatments for the disease have fortunately improved, the CDC press release said, citing shorter regimens than what was previously available as well as video-directly observed therapy, both of which have allowed treatment for TB to become "less burdensome and more accessible."