Saturday, March 24, is World Tuberculosis Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2007
Contact
Jennifer Hall, TB Control Nurse
(217) 531-5358
Saturday, March 24, is World Tuberculosis Day
Champaign, IL – March 24th is World TB Day, an annual observance meant to draw attention to a disease which is responsible for over 2 million deaths a year, worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control:
- One-third of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis (TB)
- 9 million people become ill with TB each year
- TB is the leading cause of death among HIV infected individuals
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is part of a worldwide effort to eradicate tuberculosis. We are working to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis in Champaign County. TB testing is offered every week at 710 North Neil in Champaign, and we work in conjunction with local healthcare agencies to provide follow-up testing and care for clients with active TB. Our nurses also perform TB testing in three local homeless shelters.
CUPHD sees a few active cases of tuberculosis per year. In 2006, we performed over 1,000 TB tests. Of those, 30 tested positive. Additional testing revealed that 2 of those individuals had active (contagious) TB. CUPHD diligently monitors all clients with active TB to minimize transmission of the disease to others. Left untreated, one person with active TB can infect 10-15 people per year!
According to the Centers for Disease Control, TB disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities. In 2005, 82% of all reported TB cases in the United States occurred in minorities. Foreign-born individuals account for 55% of TB cases in the U.S. In 2006 in Champaign County, that percentage was greater, with 100% of our cases being foreignborn. This high percentage is an unusual increase from last year’s 66%.
Symptoms of pulmonary TB include a persistent, phlegm-producing cough that lasts more than three weeks, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Other symptoms include fever, chills, night sweats, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
There has been a global emergence of Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR TB). XDR TB is resistant to almost all drugs currently used to treat TB. Over 1 million world wide cases of XDR TB with a mortality rate of 50% were reported in 2004. In 2006, there were 14,097 cases of TB reported in the United States – only 15 of those cases were XDR TB. There have been no reported cases of XDR TB in Champaign County.
Only through the vigilance of health authorities everywhere can the disease be checked and, it is hoped, eliminated throughout the world.
Champaign-Urbana Health District TB clinic at 710 N. Neil, Champaign:
Skin Tests: Mondays, 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. or Tuesdays, 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Test results are read the following Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. or Friday 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
For more information, please contact CUPHD, Division of Infectious Disease Prevention & Management, (217) 239-7827.
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