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Cause:
Bacterium Mycobacterium
tuberculosis.
Illness and treatment:
Infection may be
latent, and not communicable, or active. Typical symptoms
are fever, weight loss, night sweats, cough, bloody sputum,
and chest pain. Most tuberculosis (TB) is found in the
lungs, but TB can occur anywhere in the body.
Sources and spread:
Humans transmit through
tiny airborne particles (droplets) coughed by a person who
has infectious TB.
Additional risks:
Disease rate is higher in persons 65 years of age and older.
About three-quarters of cases in Washington are among
foreign-born persons from countries with high rates of
tuberculosis. Risk of infection is 100 times higher for
persons with HIV infection or AIDS.
Prevention:
Persons at risk can be screened for tuberculosis. Completing
treatment for latent TB infection and infectious TB prevents
the spread of tuberculosis and the development of resistant
strains.
Washington trends:
Each year there are around 250 reports with 2 to 18 deaths.
2008:
There were 228 reported
cases (3.5/100,000 population), an all-time low for
Washington. Of those initiated on therapy, 10.3% of cases
were fatal.
Purpose of Reporting and
Surveillance
- To identify and ensure the adequate evaluation and
treatment of persons with TB disease
- To identify the contacts of TB cases and ensure their
evaluation
- To ensure that all eligible infected contacts are
offered and complete preventive therapy
Legal Reporting Requirements
-
Health care
providers: Immediately notifiable to local health
jurisdiction (WAC 246-101-101)
-
Hospital:
Immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction (WAC
246-101-301)
-
Laboratories:
Initial culture notifiable to local health jurisdiction
within two days; (WAC
246-101-201)
-
Local health
jurisdictions: Notifiable to the Washington State
Department of Health (DOH) within 7 days of case
investigation or summary required within 21 days (WAC
246-101).
Last
guideline update
November 2009 |
