Tulare County health leaders see spike in tuberculosis cases 

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- People in Tulare County are getting sick with tuberculosis.

Health leaders confirmed at least 15 cases of the disease so far.

"TB is a bacterium," said Dr. Thomas Overton, the Deputy Public Health Officer with Tulare County Public Health. "It is spread through the air. Primarily, individuals' lungs are infected with TB in most cases."

The bacteria can spread when an infected person either coughs, speaks or even sings. TB can even live in the body for a period of time without making you feel sick.

"Tuberculosis is a very slow-growing bacteria," Dr. Overton. "Sometimes, we have individuals who have had symptoms for like a month or longer."

The California Department of Public Health reported last year, around 2,100 people were reported to have TB. State health leaders also say the disease kills more than 200 people each year.

"For TB, we actually look for individuals who have had a cough for greater than two to three weeks," said Dr. Overton. "So that's one of the criteria."

Other TB Symptoms include chest pains, fatigue, and fever, just to name a few.

Health leaders are urging people to take precautions to keep themselves healthy and to recognize the risk factors.

"There are countries where the burden of TB is very high," said Dr. Overton. "If you're from those countries or visiting those countries, you should be getting screened for a TB infection."

While there are medications that can treat TB, doctors say screening is the best prevention method. A checklist posted on the CDPH website breaks down the risk assessment.

"Your doctor can go through that list with you to see if any of those risk factors are present in your situation," said Dr. Overton. "If you do have any of those risk factors, then you would want to get the blood test."

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