| The recent airplane flight of a Georgia man infected | | | | The CDC suggests that you should be tested for TB |
| with tuberculosis has raised many new questions and | | | | if: |
| concerns about the disease. The Center for Disease | | | | *You have been exposed to a person known to or |
| Control (cdc.gov) serves as a great resource for | | | | suspected to have active TB; |
| explanation of this disease. | | | | *You have an HIV infection or other condition |
| According to the CDC, tuberculosis, commonly | | | | elevating your risk for TB; |
| referred to as "TB," is a disease caused by the | | | | *You are from an area where active TB is common |
| bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This bacterium | | | | (most Latin American countries, the Caribbean, Africa, |
| usually attacks the lungs but can also attack the | | | | Asia, Eastern Europe and Russia); |
| kidney, spine and brain as well. If not treated | | | | *You inject illegal drugs; or |
| properly, TB can be fatal. | | | | *You live somewhere in the United States where |
| Those with active TB can spread the disease | | | | active TB is more common (homeless shelters, |
| through the air by coughing or sneezing; however, | | | | migrant farm camps, prisons or jails and some nursing |
| not everyone infected with TB becomes visibly sick. | | | | homes). |
| Those infected with latent TB show no signs of | | | | A simple skin test or blood test will reveal if a person |
| illness and cannot pass the disease to others. Still, | | | | is TB-positive. These skin tests can be easily |
| latent TB may become active TB if not treated. | | | | performed at the health department or at most |
| According to the CDC, there was a sharp decline in | | | | doctors' offices. The procedure includes injecting a |
| TB cases during the 1940s, as scientists discovered | | | | small amount of testing fluid called tuberculin directly |
| effective treatments. In the '70s and '80s, however, | | | | under the skin of the forearm. Within 2-3 days |
| TB control efforts were neglected, resulting in a | | | | swelling may occur where the tuberculin was |
| spike in TB cases from 1985 to 1992. Cases of TB | | | | injected, and the patient should have a doctor or |
| steadily declined after 1992, but the disease remains | | | | nurse measure the swelling. |
| a current problem within the United States. | | | | If the patient is unaware of past encounters with an |
| In 2003 more than 14,000 cases of TB were | | | | infected person, other tests will be performed to |
| reported. Additionally, 2007 marked an all-time low in | | | | determine whether the TB is active or latent. Chest |
| the number of TB cases reported, but also showed a | | | | x-rays, phlegm tests, blood tests and urinalyses may |
| slow-down in the decline of TB cases. | | | | be necessary. |