|
Health District Observes World TB Day
Press Release
March 23, 2005La Marque - The Galveston County Health District is
recognizing World Tuberculosis (TB) Day this Thursday, March 24th, to
bring awareness of the effects of TB in Galveston County.
In the last few years, Galveston County has had an average of 20 reported
cases of (TB) each year. Health officials estimate that a large number
of infected persons are undiagnosed or have been exposed and need preventive
treatment. For this reason, TB is a condition that still deserves attention and
awareness.
Services provided by the Galveston County Health District help to identify and
treat infected and exposed people through screening tests, monitoring of cases,
and by providing directly observed therapy to insure patients receive their TB
medications. Additionally, education and exposure investigations are important
tools to help slow the spread of TB. Finally, public health laws, such as those
allowing for quarantine, play a role in protecting the public's health
when absolutely necessary. TB is a disease caused by bacteria. The bacteria
can attack any part of the body, but it usually attacks the lungs. When a person
with active TB in the lungs coughs or sneezes, the TB bacteria are launched into
the air. When people nearby breathe these bacteria, they can also become
infected.
According to Dr. Mark Guidry, Galveston County Health Authority, “Once a
person becomes infected with TB, they must adhere to a long term course of daily
medications to not only cure them of the disease, but also to insure they will
no longer be able to spread the disease to others. It is very important for a TB
patient to stay on their medications not only for their own health, but also the
health of others.”
People with TB disease are most likely to spread it to people they spend time
with every day. That includes family members, friends, and coworkers. For most
people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight
the bacteria to stop them from growing. While these bacteria are not active,
they can remain alive in the body and can become active later. This is called
latent TB infection. People with latent TB infection have no symptoms, don’t
feel sick, can’t spread TB to others, but will usually have a positive skin test
reaction and can develop TB disease later in life if they do not receive
treatment.
"With proper education and testing, TB can be controlled,” says Dr. Syed Haidry,
Tuberculosis Elimination Program Manager for the Galveston County Health
District. Haidry reminds people there are several things they can do if
they are diagnosed with TB or have been exposed to TB. “If infected, make
sure you complete your treatment. If exposed, get tested right away, and
if you are a health care professional, please report TB cases to the Galveston
County Health District and assist the District’s program staff with the
investigation of cases and contacts.”
For more information on the District’s TB program citizens can call (409)
938-2220 or visit their web site at www.gchd.org/chn/TB.htm.
For More Information Contact:
Brian Rutherford
Acting Public Information Officer
Galveston County Health District
(409) 938-2275
brutherford@gchd.org
|
