TB in Texas: An Overview
In 2020, 882 cases of tuberculosis (TB) were reported in Texas. This represents a decrease of 23.6% from 2019 when 1,154 cases were reported. The Texas TB rate in 2020 was 3.0 per 100,000 persons. TB can affect anyone but is more common in people who:
- Are born in a foreign country where TB is prevalent
- Are living with diabetes or HIV/AIDS
- Abuse alcohol and other drugs
- Live in congregate settings (including prisons and other detention centers)
- Experience homelessness
- Work in health care
Tuberculosis is curable with proper treatment. Some strains of TB are resistant to drugs used to treat TB. In 2020, six people in Texas were diagnosed with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). There were no cases of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) reported in Texas in 2020. XDR-TB is the most difficult form of TB to treat.
In Texas, the following groups reported cases of TB in 2020:
- Hispanics of any race (50%)
- African Americans (19%)
- Whites (9%)
- Asians (22%)
TB rates are higher along the Texas-Mexico border. Co-infection with TB and diabetes is also more common along the border than in the rest of the state. Homelessness and TB/HIV co-infection are more common in larger urban areas of Texas.
Texas Counties with the Most TB Cases - 2020
|
 |
| County |
Cases |
|
Harris |
243 |
|
Dallas |
110 |
|
Tarrant |
63 |
|
Bexar |
53 |
|
Hidalgo |
36 |
|
Travis |
32 |
|
Walker* |
29 |
|
Fort Bend |
27 |
|
El Paso |
25 |
|
Collin |
24 |
| * TB cases diagnosed among TDCJ inmates are attributed to Walker County for surveillance purposes | |