Health officials in Columbia and Boone County are closely monitoring the ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas, which state officials have described as one of the largest in recorded U.S. history. However, local officials say there is no immediate cause for concern across mid-Missouri.
“We are observing the situation over in Kansas. We’re not overly concerned about it here yet, but it is something we are keeping our eye on,” said Austin Krohn, spokesperson for Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services.
As of Jan. 24, Kansas health officials have reported 67 active cases between Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, which includes Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Associated Press.
The airborne bacterial infection primarily affects the lungs. It can spread through prolonged close contact with an infected person, especially via coughing, sneezing or spitting, according to the World Health Organization.
The outbreak in Kansas was first identified sometime last year, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. While Kansas health officials have called the outbreak “the largest documented outbreak in U.S. history” since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began counting cases in the 1950s, the CDC has since refuted the claim, according to the AP.
The CDC pointed to two larger cases in recent history. In 2008, an outbreak spread through Georgia homeless shelters. Health officials later identified more than 170 active tuberculosis cases and more than 400 latent cases due to the outbreak. In another case, 113 patients became sick after contaminated tissue was used in bone transplants in 2021.
Boone County currently has a tuberculosis program in place for testing and treatment, though Krohn said that there has been no indication of a spike in local cases stemming from the Kansas outbreak.
Boone Health Digital Marketing and Communications consultant Madison Loethen said Boone Hospital Center and all providers are required to report communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, to public health partners.
In Missouri, local public health employees and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services work together on contact investigations and support for patients. Infection prevention staff at hospitals may also conduct investigations for staff, with follow-up testing available.
While the situation remains stable locally, health experts encourage residents to be aware of tuberculosis symptoms, which include a persistent cough lasting more than a few weeks, fatigue, weakness, fever, chest pain and — in severe cases — coughing up blood.
Tuberculosis is treatable with antibiotics, but early detection is key in preventing its spread. Health officials at the CDC advise that individuals experiencing symptoms or those who may have been exposed should contact their health care provider about getting tested, even if they do not feel sick.
Local health authorities will continue to monitor the outbreak and provide updates as necessary. The most up-to-date tuberculosis data can be found at the state’s DHSS website.
This story was originally published by The Columbia Missourian.