Tuberculosis Control and Refugee Health
The Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program is
responsible for identifying and treating all active cases of TB. We
are also responsible for testing and offering treatment to those who
may have been exposed to an active case of TB.
What is TB?
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that
can be spread from person-to-person through airborne transmission.
It is spread when an infectious individuals expels germs into the
air by coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Those with close, prolonged
contact with an infected person have the highest risk of exposure.
The disease usually affects the lungs, but
other parts of the body can be infected in cases of extra-pulmonary
TB. Symptoms of TB include weakness, fever, fatigue, cough,
coughing up blood, chest pain, night sweats, and/or weight loss.
TB disease
vs. TB infection
People with active TB disease are
infected individuals who are sick with symptoms and are infectious
to others. Precautions must be taken so that they do not spread the
disease. Active TB disease can be treated with a variety of
medications.
Some individuals are infected with the TB
organism but are not sick with disease. This is often referred to
as latent TB infection. Individuals with latent TB infection
were exposed to the germ at some point, but the infection is not
active inside the body. These individuals are not infectious to
others, but the infection can turn into active TB disease if the
immune system is challenged. Latent TB infection can be treated
with medication and is recommended for high-risk groups (see below).
High risk
groups for TB include:
- People who share the same breathing space
(such as family members, friends, co-workers) with someone who
has TB disease
- Homeless people
- Foreign-born people form countries where a
lot of people have TB
- Prisoners
- Alcoholics and intravenous drug users (IVDUs)
- People with medical conditions such as
diabetes, certain types of cancers, and being underweight
- People with HIV infection (the virus that
causes AIDS)
TB Testing
The TB
testing process begins with a tuberculosis skin test. A
positive skin test does not necessarily mean you have active TB
disease. It simply means that you were exposed to the TB
germ at some point. Those with a positive skin test should then
undergo further testing to see if there is active disease. This may
include a chest x-ray to look for abnormalities in the lungs, sputum
(phlegm) testing, or other tests depending on the presence of
symptoms.
TB
Treatment
The Tuberculosis Control
Program offers treatment for both active TB disease and latent TB
infections. For more information, please call 941-624-7200
ext 7232.
Refugee
Health
The
Refugee Health Program provides culturally sensitive health services
to refugees and asylees of foreign countries who relocate to
Charlotte County. Our services include health assessments,
screenings, and immunizations. For more information about our
program, please call 941-624-7200
ext 7232.
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