The
World Health Organization has designated March 24 as World TB (Tuberculosis)
Day. World TB Day provides the opportunity to raise awareness about
TB-related problems and solutions and to support worldwide TB-control efforts.
Although great strides have been made to control and cure TB, people still get
sick and die from this disease in this country. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) states this year’s theme is “Find TB. Treat TB – Working
Together to Eliminate TB” to highlight that TB is still a life-threatening
problem in the U.S, despite the declining number of TB cases. The CDC further
states that “anyone can get TB and current efforts to find and treat latent TB infection
and TB disease are not sufficient. Misdiagnosis of TB still exists and health
care professionals often do not think TB”.
In
2014, McHenry County had 5 cases of active tuberculosis and 57 people were
identified with latent TB. McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is active
in conducting outbreak investigations, surveillance of TB cases, providing skin
test clinics, treatment for active and latent cases of TB, and outreach to
those populations at high risk for developing TB.
The
Department’s TB Clinic, located in Building B on the Government Center campus
(2200 N. Seminary, Woodstock), provides chest x-rays, diagnostic studies,
laboratory services and medication at no charge to any resident or anyone
employed in McHenry County. “Directly observed treatment” (DOT) is
provided to active cases to assure patients take their medication at the dose
and frequency prescribed for cure and to prevent the development of multi-drug
resistant TB which continues to grow as an international threat. A small
fee is charged for tuberculin skin testing.
A
recent presentation was given to the McHenry County Board of Health in January,
2015 to provide an update on TB. Go online at www.mcdh.info
and select the Nursing, Tuberculosis tab in the toolbar to view the
presentation. For more information on TB, call MCDH’s Communicable Disease
Program at 815-334-4500
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