The Coastal Health District of Georgia serves the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh

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Unite to End TB

Often when people hear the word “tuberculosis,” they think of a disease that caused harm decades ago. But tuberculosis, commonly referred to as TB, is still a very real problem in the United States and in Georgia where 335 new cases of TB were reported in 2014. In fact, Georgia ranked fifth highest in the country for newly reported TB cases in 2014. March 24 is World TB and this year’s theme is “Unite to End TB.”

TB is a disease that usually affects the lungs but can attack any part of the body. TB is caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air when a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. Although a relatively small number of people exposed to the disease actually contract the infection, active TB disease can be life threatening if left untreated.

TB is preventable and curable. Yet, too many people in the United States still suffer from this disease. TB elimination would have widespread health, economic, and social benefits for our country. Anyone can get TB. People with TB disease can be found in every state; in rural areas and cities; in schools, workplaces, homes; and in many other places where people are in close contact.

People with active TB disease may spread the TB germs to other persons who are usually individuals with whom they have been with in an enclosed space for a prolonged period of time, such as family members and co-workers. Symptoms of TB include a bad cough that lasts three weeks or longer, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, no appetite, chills, fever, and sweating at night.

Up to 13 million people in the U.S. are estimated to have latent tuberculosis (TB) infection. Latent TB infection is a condition in which a person is infected with the TB bacteria, but does not currently have active TB disease and cannot spread TB to others. However, if these bacteria become active and multiply, latent TB infection can turn into TB disease. Without treatment, on average 5-10% of people with latent TB infection will develop TB disease. For some people, that risk is much higher.

Anyone who thinks he has been exposed to TB should contact a healthcare provider or local health department to get tested. For more information on TB, go to cdc.gov/tb.

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