Tuberculosis (TB) is mostly forgotten, but certainly not gone. We often associate TB with bygone times. In 1882, the consumption, as it was often called then, killed one in seven people in Europe and the U.S.
The disease traveled by coughing; crowded cities in both Europe and the U.S. were thought to be one reason behind its rise. In the Victorian Era, wealthy folks travelled to remote, temperate climates to avoid TB, but people with less resources hacked up blood as their lungs deteriorated, until they died.
Now, although the disease is neither as prevalent nor as deadly as it was in the 19th century, it is around — and showing signs of making an unwelcome comeback. New data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization reported 39,000 cases TB in the 29 European Union and European Economic Area (EU/ EEA) countries. It is still considered the deadliest infectious disease worldwide.
Perhaps most worrying, the disease increased 26 percent in children under 15 during from 2023 to 2025, when the data for the report was collected. EU officials are concerned, because TB in children represents an increase in the disease's continual transmission.
Increase in Tuberculosis Cases in U.S.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also indicate the disease has been on the rise in the U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of reported TB disease cases and incidence rate increased in 2023 for the third year since 2020, surpassing pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. In 2023, the U.S. reported 9,633 cases of TB. This represents an increase of 15.6 percent in cases compared with 2022 (8,332 cases) and 8.3 percent compared with 2019 (8,895 cases), the year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although those numbers seem relatively small compared to, say COVID-19 at its peak, there are plenty of reasons for concern. The CDC estimates that about 13 million people in the U.S. live with “inactive” TB. Those people can’t infect others, but one in 10 cases can turn active, where the carrier becomes both symptomatic and can spread the disease. And while treatment for TB has largely been a medical success story — especially in “developed” countries — drug-resistant strains are growing.
Read More: Meet the Tuberculosis Nurses, the Black Women Who Helped Cure TB
Treatment for Tuberculosis — and Resistance
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is increasing, since only slightly over half the TB patients in the EU with MDR-TB complete their treatment. That makes antibiotics against that form of the disease less effective.
“With the rise of drug-resistant TB, the cost of inaction today will be paid by us all tomorrow," Pamela Rendi-Wagner, ECDC director, said in a statement.
The remainder could give rise to a “Super Bug” variant that won't respond to the standard drugs for such strains. They are also expensive — which courts controversy for their administration in the developing countries that most need them.
Read More: What Is the Drug Bedaquiline and Why Is It Important for Those With Tuberculosis?
Preventing Tuberculosis
The best way to prevent getting the disease is to avoid people who are heavily coughing. If you suspect you or someone you know has symptoms, seek testing.
Some countries are riskier than others for travelers. Others may require testing before travel. It might be advisable to get tested if you visit a country with a higher TB rate and suspect you may have been exposed. A TB vaccine is available, but is not widely administered in the U.S.
Testing is recommended for all U.S. health care personnel (the degree to which it is mandatory varies by state) and optional for everyone else.
This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. History of World TB Day
National Library of Medicine. The history of tuberculosis: from the first historical records to the isolation of Koch's bacillus
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Inactive Tuberculosis
World Health Organization. Tuberculosis and air travel : guidelines for prevention and control, 3rd ed
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical Testing Guidance for Tuberculosis: Health Care Personnel
Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
