Contact:
Vic Tomlinson
573-751-6114 or 866-826-9891
TB Cases Reach Record Lows in Missouri
Missouri had 136 cases of tuberculosis disease in 2002, the lowest number since the state started keeping good records in 1944. That is a decrease from 157 cases in 2001 and 211 in 2000.
"Missouri has made excellent progress in reducing the numbers of TB cases, but TB is still a major public health problem here and throughout the world." said Vic Tomlinson, Section for Communicable Disease Prevention, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).
"Health care workers in the public and private sectors are continuing to work to reduce and eliminate TB disease. We still have a great deal of work to do," said Tomlinson.
"The number of TB cases in the United States is decreasing, but globally it is still a major problem. Tuberculosis kills approximately three million people worldwide every year, and eight million new cases still occur every year. The United States must support global efforts to fight TB. Until this epidemic is brought under control, this country will have difficulty eliminating the disease," said Tomlinson. "Missouri supports this kind of global effort toward elimination."
DHSS will recognize the public health problem of tuberculosis throughout the state during World TB Day, March 24. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Robert Koch announced discovery of the TB bacillus.
Tuberculosis is spread through the air. The only way to contract the disease is by extremely close contact, through the air, with someone who has the disease. It cannot be spread by contact with someone's clothing or by eating from the same utensils. Symptoms of TB may include a cough of longer than three weeks, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, chills, fever, and coughing up blood in advanced cases.
There is only one way to know if you have been infected with TB. It is a test called a PPD or Mantoux test. A small amount of test solution is injected under the skin of the forearm. If a person has been infected, there will be a reaction in a couple of days. People who react to the skin test have TB infection. Most people with positive skin tests do not have active TB disease. They have no other symptoms, have completely normal lungs and are not contagious. Physicians determine whether a person has TB disease through further testing, a chest X-ray, and bacteriological analysis.
TB is treatable and curable if it is diagnosed in time. The antibiotic treatment is provided free of charge to anyone in Missouri who is diagnosed with TB disease or infection. For testing or treatment, or for more information, contact your local public health agency or a physician.