CDC tuberculosis page highlighting Asian case rates removed from website

A CDC webpage detailing tuberculosis (TB) trends among Asian persons is no longer accessible on the agency’s website. The page cited federal surveillance data showing that Asian persons had the highest TB case rate among racial and ethnic groups in 2023. It also emphasized that most TB cases in the U.S. occur among people born outside the country, a demographic that includes large segments of Asian immigrant communities.

The removed page, titled “Tuberculosis and Asian Persons,” summarized national surveillance findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2023, the U.S. reported 9,615 tuberculosis cases, including 2,887 among non-Hispanic Asian persons, accounting for about 30% of the national total. CDC data also showed Asian persons had the highest TB case rate among racial and ethnic groups that year, a disparity the agency linked largely to country of birth and prior exposure in regions where TB remains more common.

The page explained that most tuberculosis cases in the U.S. occur among people born outside the country, representing roughly three-quarters of reported infections in recent years. Because a large share of Asian Americans are immigrants from regions where TB remains endemic, the CDC has historically recommended targeted screening for latent tuberculosis infection among people born in several countries across East, Southeast and South Asia. The deleted resource consolidated those statistics, risk factors and screening recommendations into a single reference focused on Asian persons.

Its removal comes amid broader federal efforts under President Donald Trump to eliminate government materials related to diversity, equity and inclusion. After returning to office, Trump issued executive orders directing agencies to dismantle DEI initiatives and review public communications referencing race-based disparities or equity frameworks. As agencies conduct those reviews, some CDC webpages addressing health disparities across racial, ethnic and LGBTQ populations have been removed or revised, including the tuberculosis page focused on Asian persons.

Tuberculosis trends are particularly relevant for Asian Americans because a large share of the population is foreign-born. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, roughly two-thirds of Asian Americans are immigrants, a demographic group that public health officials identify as having a higher likelihood of prior TB exposure due to conditions in countries where the disease is more prevalent.

Public health agencies use demographic surveillance data to guide screening programs and community outreach. By compiling TB statistics and prevention recommendations specific to Asian persons, the now-removed CDC page provided clinicians and community health organizations with a quick reference for identifying at-risk populations and promoting testing.

Without a centralized page summarizing those disparities, the same information must be extracted from broader surveillance reports and datasets. Researchers and public health groups have been archiving removed federal health pages through independent projects and web archives in an effort to preserve public access to previously available information.