AP Photo/David J. Phillip
FILE: Contact tracers work at Harris County Public Health facility Thursday, June 25, 2020, in Houston, Texas.
Harris County leads the state in rates of tuberculosis, and has nearly double the rate of active cases compared to the rest of the county, according to a new report from Harris County Public Health released Monday.
Tuberculosis, an airborne disease that affects the lungs and other parts of the body. In 1900, the disease was a leading cause of death, with 194 deaths per 100,000 people. Although tuberculosis may seem like a disease of the past, Harris County reported a rate of 5.5 active cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 people in 2024, the most recent year of data.
“Tuberculosis is a serious but preventable disease, and this report helps us better understand where and how it is impacting our community,” Dr. Jo Ann Monroy, with the HCPH Office of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Emerging Diseases, said via a statement. “Our goal is to use this data to guide action, improve access to care, and protect the health of all Harris County community members.”
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Harris County Public Health
A graph comparing rates of tuberculosis in Texas and Harris County between 2018-2024.
Texas had a tuberculosis rate of 4.1 per 100,000 in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Of the lower 48 states, only California and New York had higher rates — Alaska and Hawaii surpassed them all, according to the CDC. The nationwide rate of tuberculosis cases was 3.0 — nearly half that of Harris County.
In 2022, the most recent year on record for the Texas Department of State Health Services, Harris County had more cases of tuberculosis than any other county.
Though the rates of tuberculosis have remained stable in recent years — and are far below the rates in previous centuries — the fact that it still remains in Texas and Harris County is remarkable. Since the 1950s, the United States has had an effective treatment of the disease, which has significantly lowered rates. However, the disease still pervades across the globe. The World Health Organization reported 10.8 million people developed tuberculosis in 2023, 1.25 million of whom died.
In Harris County, some demographics are disproportionately affected by tuberculosis, according to Harris County Public Health’s report. Individuals born outside of the United States, racial minority groups, and men are more heavily impacted.
Harris County Public Health
A graph depicting different rates of tuberculosis across Harris County by county.
Even specific parts of the county face higher concentrations of tuberculosis. The report identifies five zip codes — 77032, 77002, 77011, 77074, and 77009 — that have higher rates than the county average. In those zip codes, tuberculosis rates ranged from 19.6 to 67.6 cases per 100,000 people, according to the report.