Officials warn of tuberculosis outbreak in Northeast Arkansas
by October 26, 2023 5:52 pm 5,100 views
Public health officials are warning individuals and healthcare providers to be aware of a cluster of tuberculosis cases in Northeast Arkansas.
From 2021 through 2023, there have been 27 known cases of the infection in the northeast and southeast regions, including six cases in Craighead County this year.
Of the 27 known cases, over half of infected individuals were hospitalized during their illness, including several children. This indicates the seriousness of the disease if not diagnosed or treated appropriately.
“This is a large cluster,” said Dr. Sandra Chai, an infectious disease physician who serves as the assistant tuberculosis controller for the Arkansas Department of Health. “We suspect that there are undetected cases of active and latent tuberculosis related to this cluster. We need our healthcare providers to help us find them so we can treat them.”
Symptoms of tuberculosis include persistent cough of more than two to three weeks duration, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, and night sweats. If untreated, tuberculosis can cause serious illness and can be fatal.
“Healthcare providers, as well as the general public, need to be aware of the current prevalence of tuberculosis in our region,” said Dr. Shane Speights, who serves as the Craighead County health officer and medical director for the city of Jonesboro in addition to his role as dean of NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University. “Because we’re at the beginning cold and flu season, it can be easy to confuse tuberculosis with other respiratory illnesses, but with the potential seriousness of the infection, we need both patients and providers to be alert so we can properly identify cases.”
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily impacts the respiratory system. It is airborne, meaning it is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets that spread when an infected person talks, sings, coughs, or sneezes.
“If you have symptoms or if you have potentially been exposed, it is extremely important for you to visit your county health department or your personal care provider to be tested,” Speights said. “We need to quickly identify cases so we can isolate those who are impacted and limit the spread.”