Tuberculosis Cases Continue Increasing

After nearly three decades of consistent decline in Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the United States, the case count began increasing in 2021.

TB is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air and usually affects the lungs, potentially impacting anyone.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 10,347 TB cases were provisionally reported by 34 states and the District of Columbia in 2024, corresponding to a rate of 3.0 cases per 100,000 population.

The percentage increase in both case counts (8%) and rates (6%) from 2023.

Since then, four states have been the unfortunate leaders in TB cases: California, Florida, New York, and Texas.

The Texas Department of State Human Services reported 1,235 TB cases in 2023, compared to 1,100 cases in 2022. About 69% of people diagnosed with TB in Texas were non-U.S.-born.

However, the CDC's interim data for 2024 indicates a 2% reduction in TB cases in Texas, which is a positive trend.

Data from 2023 indicates TB rates accelerated in certain cities (Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio).

Harris County, which includes Houston, reported 269 TB cases in 2023. This data accounts for approximately 21% of all TB cases reported in Texas.

The County, with over 2 million residents, was recognized by the CDC for its Tuberculosis Elimination Program in 2025. 

Services are available on a referral basis for certain high-risk groups, including TB cases, contacts, immigrants, refugees, and the homeless. In Harris County, if you are identified as a contact to an active and contagious pulmonary case of TB, the TB test (either a skin test or a blood test) will be provided at no cost.

The City of Houston laboratory performs bacteriological studies for TB, including smears, cultures, mycobacterial identifications, NAAT, and first-line drug sensitivities. The pharmacy program provides packaged medication for the treatment of tuberculosis.

While various TB vaccines have been administered over 4 billion times during the past 100 years, they are seldom administered in the United States, including in Harris County.

As of June 2024, the World Health Organization states that increasing access to Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines could save up to 1.9 billion antibiotic doses annually, thereby helping to reduce antimicrobial resistance and the disease burden, which is essential for achieving TB elimination.