'White Plague': One Of Humanity's Deadliest Killers Resurging In US

The resurgence of the 'White Plague' in the US: Tuberculosis (TB), also known as the 'White Plague', is making a comeback in the United States, with cases rising since 2020, the New York Post reported. This infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affects the lungs, but can spread to other parts of the body. TB is one of the deadliest killers known to human beings. According to a report by Vox, TB was replaced by Covid-19 for a brief period of time, but in 2023, it regained its title as the world's leading cause of death by infectious disease.

"The global is local and the local is global, so if we're not able to address the global burden of tuberculosis, we'll continue to see it everywhere," Priya Shete, who is an associate professor of medicine and tuberculosis researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, said as quoted by Vox. "We'll start to see tuberculosis arise in the least expected places."

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What is Tuberculosis, and what are its symptoms?

TB is an airborne disease that spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, releasing tiny droplets containing the bacteria. Not everyone who contracts TB becomes sick immediately; some people develop latent TB, where the bacteria remain dormant, while others develop active TB, which is contagious.

Common symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, chest pain, coughing up blood or mucus, fever, night sweats, weight loss and fatigue.

Certain groups are more vulnerable that other, such as those with weakened immune systems, diabetes, or HIV/AIDS and people living in crowded conditions.

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Rising Cases in the US

The US reported over 10,300 TB cases in 2024, an 8% increase from 2023, marking the highest case count since 2011. Factors contributing to this rise reportedly include post-pandemic travel and migration, outbreaks in several states, and increased antibiotic resistance.

Prevention and treatment

The symptoms of TB are often mistaken for illnesses like the flu or RSV; hence, treatment often gets delayed. Without treatment, the infection can become fatal.

The disease is preventable and curable with antibiotics, but treatment typically lasts 6-9 months. Completing the full course is crucial to preventing drug resistance.

"Unfortunately, the sheer length of these regimens increases the risk of significant side effects," Dr Kohta Saito, an assistant professor of medicine and assistant attending physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, said as quoted by the New York Post.

"For people being treated for latent TB infection, this is a challenge, as they experience the side effects of medications they're taking to prevent a disease they may not go on to develop."

A vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guerin, is given to protect against this infection. But the shot is common in regions where the TB infection is common.

"There is no country in the world that has eliminated TB, or that is TB free," Dr Lucica Ditiu, a physician and executive director of the Stop TB Partnership, said as quoted by Vox. "As long as we breathe, we are all at risk."

Hence, it is suggested that simple precautions like wearing masks, improving ventilation, and getting tested can reduce transmission.