About this episode:

A tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas City is one of the largest in recent history. Risk to the general public remains low, but the outbreak itself could be a signal of a seriously strained public health system. In today's episode: an overview of tuberculosis including how it spreads and who is most at risk, and what the Kansas City outbreak means for public health. Also: How the U.S.'s departure from the WHO could impact the fight against the world's leading infectious disease killer.

Guest:

Dr. David Dowdy is an infectious disease epidemiologist, a tuberculosis researcher, and the executive vice dean for academic affairs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Host:

Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Show links and related content:

Major tuberculosis outbreak hits Kansas City—Reuters
The Promise of TB Vaccines—International Vaccine Access Center
Why Tuberculosis, An Ancient Disease, Remains a Public Health Threat—Public Health On Call (December, 2023)

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845 - Tuberculosis in the U.S.