MHF TOP PICKS FOR June
Every month, we at the Mueller Health Foundation like to showcase interesting news and updates in the field of tuberculosis (TB). Below are our top 3 picks for June:
- The Kansas City TB Outbreak Shows the Value of U.S. Government Health Funding
An ongoing tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in the Kansas City metropolitan area, specifically in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, has resulted in 67 cases of active TB and 79 latent infections since January 2024, with two deaths linked to the outbreak. Although not the largest in U.S. history, it is one of the most significant TB outbreaks in recent decades and has drawn rare national attention to a disease often overlooked in the U.S. The outbreak underscores the life-saving importance of public investment in TB research and health infrastructure, which has enabled shorter, more tolerable treatment regimens and enhanced outbreak response by local health departments. Thanks to public funding, tools like the 3HP regimen and new drug-resistant TB therapies have dramatically improved care and outcomes. Over half of those affected in Kansas City have already been cured, and the vast majority of those with latent TB have started preventive treatment. However, experts warn that ongoing federal funding cuts threaten to undermine this progress, potentially stalling critical research and leaving communities more vulnerable to future outbreaks. To learn more, you can access the article at: https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/19/tuberculosis-kansas-city-missouri-tb-outbreak-treatment/
- Cracking the Code of Phages to Fight TB
Scientists at Scripps Research and the University of Pittsburgh have captured the first high-resolution structural images of a virus that infects mycobacteria, the bacterial genus responsible for tuberculosis (TB), offering promising insights for phage-based therapies targeting drug-resistant TB. Using cryo-electron microscopy and tomography, they studied the mycobacteriophage Bxb1 and found that, unlike other phages, it does not form a channel to inject its DNA. Instead, it appears to use a unique genome delivery mechanism, possibly involving membrane destabilization or internal pressure. The researchers also observed major structural changes in the phage’s tail tip upon binding to the bacterial surface, suggesting a dynamic infection process adapted to overcome the thick, waxy cell walls of mycobacteria. These findings could help guide the development
DID YOU KNOW?
While tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment are offered free of charge in many countries, the true cost of the disease often falls heavily on patients and their families. According to the World Health Organization’s 2023 Global TB Report, total costs borne by households affected by TB range from $76 USD per episode in The Gambia to over $3,700 USD in Mongolia. These include direct medical expenses, nonmedical costs (such as transportation, food, and accommodation), and significant indirect costs from lost income due to illness or caregiving responsibilities.
For patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), the financial toll is even more severe. A 2024 systematic review found that approximately 80% of MDR-TB patients globally face catastrophic costs, defined as TB-related expenses exceeding 20% of their annual household income. These patients often undergo prolonged and intensive treatment, frequently requiring hospitalization or travel to specialized centers, compounding both out-of-pocket and income losses.
This economic burden leads many patients to delay or interrupt treatment, worsening health outcomes and increasing the risk of transmission. The WHO has consistently emphasized the need to eliminate catastrophic costs as part of its End TB Strategy, yet progress has stalled. In 2022, only 25% of countries with available data had met the target of zero catastrophic costs for TB-affected families.
Addressing these financial barriers is not only a matter of equity but also a public health imperative. Without sustained investment in social protection, transportation subsidies, nutritional support, and income replacement programs, millions of households remain vulnerable to impoverishment as a result of TB care. The Mueller Health Foundation is therefore structuring its programs to provide holistic support by offering free transportation, nutritional assistance, and psychological support to TB patients to help reduce these burdens and improve treatment outcomes.