A Town in Rural Alabama Has a Tuberculosis Rate That Approaches Somalia’s

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The Alabama Department of Public Health is working to stop a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Perry County and will provide preventive therapy to people found to be positive for the disease.

Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Karen Landers said, “We are very pleased with the public response to control this dangerous disease. The support by the local community in getting this important health information out to the public has been outstanding, including participation by community leaders in a town hall meeting last night.”

On Monday, Jan. 11, 279 individuals were screened for TB and on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 250 individuals were screened. Since then, 47 people have tested positive for the TB germ. The patients with positive TB tests will now be checked to see if they have any signs of TB on a chest X-ray.

Because of the high rate of TB infection in Perry County, that is the only local health department offering money to patients for TB screening and treatment. Symptoms of TB include cough lasting more than two weeks, shortness of breath, fever, night sweats, weight loss and fatigue. A person may be infected with the TB germ and have no symptoms. Fortunately, patients can be treated preventively before becoming ill.

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