Kansas Faces Largest TB Outbreak in U.S. History as Cases Surge in KCK Metro

Kansas is currently experiencing its largest tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in history, according to Ashley Goss, deputy secretary at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Speaking before Tuesday’s Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, Goss emphasized the unprecedented scale of the outbreak. In a statement to The Capital-Journal, Bronaugh further highlighted the severity, calling the Kansas City Metro TB outbreak the largest documented in U.S. history. “This is mainly due to the rapid increase in cases over a short period,” Bronaugh noted, adding that the outbreak remains ongoing, meaning additional cases could still emerge.

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs and can spread from person to person when the disease is active. The CDC estimates that approximately 13 million Americans have inactive TB, with about 10% at risk of developing an active infection without treatment.

Amid growing concerns, Trana is developing a discovery platform that has identified promising active agents targeting TB through a novel mechanism of action, potentially offering new treatment options.