Active tuberculosis cases are higher in Harris County than anywhere else in Texas or the US. Here’s what to know.
Harris County Public Health released a new report on Monday stating that Harris County has the highest tuberculosis rates not only in Texas, but across the country. The county’s rates of active tuberculosis cases are almost double what they are in the US. The airborne disease, which is typically called TB for short, most severely affects the lungs but can have negative health effects on the rest of the body if it remains untreated.
TB is transmitted through the air when someone who already has the illness speaks, sneezes, or coughs. It isn’t as common nowadays as it was when it ran rampant in 1900 and killed millions of people worldwide. According to Houston Public Media, at the height of TB’s spread in the US, around 194 out of every 100,000 people who contracted the illness ended up dying from it. Current survival and contraction rates are thankfully much better due vaccines, which help prevent the disease from spreading, as well as specific TB treatments to address infection.
The report noted that around 5.5 active cases of TB were logged in 2024 (the most recent year for this data) per 100,000 people in Harris County. To put that into perspective, 4.1 active cases were reported per 100,000 people in the rest of Texas in 2025. Across the US, around 3.0 cases were logged for that same number, which is about half of what Harris County residents have seen. When releasing the report, Dr. Jo Ann Monroy, who works with the HCPH Office of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Emerging Diseases, said, “Tuberculosis is a serious but preventable disease, and this report helps us better understand where and how it is impacting our community.” Dr. Monroy added, “Our goal is to use this data to guide action, improve access to care, and protect the health of all Harris County community members.”
Harris County has historically seen high TB rates
When the Texas Department of State Health Services previously reported on tuberculosis cases in Harris County in 2022, the region similarly saw higher rates than any other area of the state. It’s unclear why the problem is persisting there, and in Texas as a whole, while the rest of the United States sees fewer cases year after year. The report published by Harris County Public Health on Monday did indicate that racial minority groups, men, and people who weren’t born in the country tend to disproportionately contract TB compared to other groups.
Not only does TB seem to impact certain people more than others, but it spreads faster in five specific zip codes in Harris County, including: 77009, 77002, 77074, 77011, and 77032. Rates there range between 19.6 to 67.6 active cases per 100,000 people. Health officials are hoping this report will help residents understand the seriousness of tuberculosis and how easily preventable, and treatable, it now is. One of the easiest ways to prevent the spread is to identify common symptoms and seek medical treatment if you’re experiencing them. Those symptoms include:
- Persistent cough
- Fever
- Chest Pain
- Weight loss
- Tiredness
For additional information on the disease, its symptoms, and how to treat it, please click here.
