A Deadly ‘Old World’ Disease Is Becoming New Threat In Texas

From Great Britain, all the way to Texas reports of infection are up dramatically, and it's a disease many of us tend to think of as "dead."

Throughout history, the disease has had many names; consumption, phthisis, and the White Plague. And even though it has become one of those infections we tend to think of as relegated to history books, according to recent data it seems to be mounting a comeback.

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that tuberculosis cases are at a record high. The report revealed that approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed last year.

This is the highest number of tuberculosis cases since the WHO began monitoring the disease nearly 30 years ago in 1995. Including the highest number of cases in the U.S. in over a decade.

What is Tuberculousous?

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis that primarily affects the lungs. It spreads through the air when infected individuals cough, sneeze, or spit. Inhaling just a few germs can lead to infection.

These numbers mark an increase of over 700,000 new cases from 2022. Unfortunately, these new figures made TB the leading infectious disease killer in 2023, killing more than even COVID-19.

The reason for the increase in cases is not exactly known. However, it is believed to be helped by more international travel, which can bring TB to countries and areas that haven't seen many cases. Some also believe that drug-resistant strains of TB are becoming more common.

The WHO reports that over 1.25 million people died from TB, globally, in 2023. And Texas was the state with the second highest reported cases in 2022.

• California (22.2%)
• Texas (13.2%)
• New York, including New York City (8.6%)
• Florida (6.4%)

Read more about Tuberculosis here.

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