Washington – The number of tuberculosis cases in the United States in 2023 was the highest in the last ten years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Thursday.
Forty states reported an increase in tuberculosis cases, and prevalence rates increased in all age groups, the US health agency added, specifying that more than 9,600 cases were reported in 2023, a 16 percent increase from 2022.
Most cases of tuberculosis in the United States are diagnosed in people born in other countries.
Experts say the 2023 figure is partly due to an increase in tuberculosis cases internationally.
CDC officials had expected an increase in TB cases, but the number for 2023 “was a little higher than expected,” noted Dr. Philip LoBue, Director of the Tuberculosis Elimination Division at the US Health Agency.
Despite this increase, the number and prevalence rate of tuberculosis cases each year remain lower than in most countries.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs. It is caused by a type of bacteria that spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or spit. If not treated properly, the disease can be fatal.
According to the World Health Organization, almost 1.3 million people will die from tuberculosis in 2022.
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