The number of TB cases in King County increased last year. They could have been prevented.

March 24, 2022.Reading time 4 minutes.

As much as a fourth of the world’s population is estimated to be infected by the tuberculosis bacterium. The vast majority are “latent” infections, meaning the bacteria is dormant, or “asleep,” in people’s bodies. But latent TB infection (LBTI) can lead to active tuberculosis: Ten million people developed active TB in 2020, and 1.5 million people died of the disease globally.

Global epidemic, local response: TB update in King County

March 22, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

Even though there are medications that can cure and prevent TB disease, too few around the world are currently able to get the treatment they need to make them well and prevent others from getting a disease that kills 4,500 people every day worldwide, and 1.6 million total in 2017 alone.

World TB Day: Global epidemic hits home

March 24, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

Every week, two new people on average are diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in King County. Many of these cases are investigated, treated and managed through our local TB program without public attention, but we’ve seen recent instances in schools (here and here) and a university, health care facilities (here and here), a group residence and jail […]

On World TB Day, still plenty of work left despite local successes

March 24, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

An X-ray of the chest of a man with tuberculosis. The areas infected with TB bacteria are colored red. Science Photo Library/Corbis

We saw an increase in TB in the United States for the first time in 23 years. In King County, TB isn’t increasing, but our proportion of TB-infected individuals (those who carry a dormant form of TB (“latently-infected”) is higher than Washington’s or any other region in the state.