Tuberculosis (TB) just resurfaced in suburban Illinois, and critics say Washington's retreat from global health programs could let the world's deadliest infection stage a comeback at home.
What Happened: According to a report by ABC, a Joliet West High School student's TB diagnosis this month has reignited concern that the deadliest infectious disease could spark America's next outbreak. Health experts warn that the United States is scaling back global programs that keep TB offshore.
TB killed roughly 1.25 million people in 2023, more than any other pathogen, while 10.8 million people fell ill worldwide. Inside the U.S., the CDC estimates up to 13 million residents carry a latent infection, and about 10 percent could develop active disease without treatment.
Yet Washington is pulling back: proposed USAID cuts have frozen diagnosis and treatment projects in high-burden nations. In January, the administration announced plans to withdraw from the World Health Organization, weakening real-time outbreak tracking. Meanwhile, reauthorization of PEPFAR — whose grants bankroll TB labs — is stalled, clouding U.S. support.
Funding gaps threaten progress against drug-resistant strains already circulating; only two in five multidrug-resistant patients received therapy last year. Author John Green's new book ‘Everything Is Tuberculosis’, shows how mismanaged therapy in poor nations fuels that resistance.
School officials say the Joliet teen is being treated and will stay home until non-contagious, underscoring domestic vulnerability. Global anti-TB drives have saved an estimated 79 million lives since 2000, proof of what's at stake if financing slips. Public health advocates warn Congress must act before America's 13 million latent carriers become the next headline.
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