California’s TB Cases Are on the Rise, but It’s Probably No Cause for Alarm

California’s tuberculosis cases have been increasing steadily since 2020, according to data from the state’s Department of Public Health. The department reported a 24 percent increase in TB cases since 2020, with a 15 percent jump from 2022 to 2023. That brought total cases to 2,113 in 2023. TB is a disease that spreads through the air and is caused by a bacteria called mycobacterium TB. It primarily affects the lungs but can also affect the kidney, spine, and brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Someone infected with mycobacterium TB may not become sick, in which case it would be classified as latent TB infection. Latent TB can become active if untreated. TB can be fatal: the health department reports that more than 200 Californians die each year from the disease....