Once Called the “White Death,” Tuberculosis Lingers as Trends Shift in the U.S. and Globally
Tuberculosis (TB) might not make headlines as often as it once did, but it hasn’t gone away. In fact, the latest provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests the story is still evolving. Drawing on early 2025 case reports submitted to the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System as of February 2026, the report offers a timely glimpse at where things stand and where they may be headed.
While the numbers show a slight improvement from the year before, the bigger picture is more nuanced. Here’s what the latest data reveals, why tuberculosis remains a global concern, and why keeping a close eye on it still matters.
The Danger of Tuberculosis
TB might sound like a disease from the past, but it remains a serious global threat. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB is still the leading infectious cause of death worldwide, only briefly surpassed by COVID-19 during the early pandemic years.
TB is an airborne illness caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and has been affecting humans for millennia. The ancient physician Hippocrates called it “phthisis,” meaning a slow wasting away, an apt description of how the disease weakens the body over time. It has also been known as the “white plague” or “white death,” referencing the pale, frail appearance of those infected, as described in The Conversation.
Without treatment, TB is often fatal and reasonably contagious, with one untreated person able to infect up to 15 others, according to the WHO. While antibiotics introduced in the 1940s transformed care, modern treatment still requires months of multiple drugs and can be physically taxing, making early diagnosis especially important.
More recently, TB cases have started rising again. Globally, infections increased between 2020 and 2023 by 4.6 percent, reversing years of decline.
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What the Latest Report Shows
In the United States, the overall trend has been a bit of a rollercoaster. TB cases steadily declined for nearly 30 years, with a steep drop in 2020. But that progress stalled, and cases climbed again from 2021 through 2024. The most recent data from the CDC may offer a bit of cautious optimism: 2025 saw a slight decrease, with 10,260 reported cases compared to 10,395 in 2024.
Geographically, most cases continue to be concentrated in California, which isn’t surprising given its large population. However, when you look at rates rather than raw numbers, Alaska stands out, with the highest rates of about 12 to 13 cases per 100,000 people in 2024, and remains high for 2025.
TB can affect anyone, but it doesn’t affect everyone equally. Encouragingly, rates dropped across most age groups in 2025, except among adults aged 65 and older, where cases actually increased. That’s a reminder that certain populations remain more vulnerable and need extra attention.
Why Keeping a Close Eye on TB Matters
For most people in the U.S., the risk of contracting TB is still relatively low. But that doesn’t mean it’s a problem we can ignore. TB remains a global public health issue, and as recent trends show, progress can quickly unravel.
Monitoring TB closely helps health officials spot changes early and respond before things get worse. Treating active TB not only helps the patient recover but also stops the disease from spreading. There’s also something called latent TB, which describes when someone is infected but has no symptoms. Treating those cases can prevent the disease from ever becoming active in the first place.
According to the CDC, the bottom line is that early diagnosis and treatment protect not just individuals, but entire communities. Keeping TB under control depends on strong coordination between public health agencies, healthcare providers, and at-risk populations. Continued collaboration is key if we want to reduce illness and move closer to eliminating TB.
This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
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