Communicable Disease

Communicable Disease

Tuberculosis (TB) Control Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs. But, TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. TB disease was once the leading cause of death in the United States.

Client eligibility: Persons suspected of or diagnosed with Tuberculosis Disease or Infection. Persons who request a TB skin test (for a charge of $10.00) or need screening for Tuberculosis Disease or Infection due to contact to TB or signs and symptoms of disease.

Services:

• TB skin tests
• Chest x-rays
• Screening for TB
• Treatment for TB disease and infection

Intake Procedure: Walk-in TB skin testing available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Call for times and other services available. Outreach: The Tuberculosis Outreach nursing service is responsible for providing directly observed medication therapy (DOT) to active tuberculosis cases in the community. Learn more about TB at http://www.cdc.gov/tb/.

Communicable Disease Control: A communicable disease is an infectious disease that can be transmitted from one individual to another directly by contact or indirectly by fomites and vectors.

• To promptly investigate disease outbreaks and unusual situations and to implement control measures to minimize further transmission of disease
• To monitor disease-reporting by physicians and laboratories in order to detect trends and to assess the public health impact of diseases
• To provide a channel of communication between public health agencies, private physicians, and hospital and occupational infection control personnel, as an essential part of disease control efforts
• To explain public health interventions and disseminate health education messages to the community and the media in order to enhance disease control efforts

For more information: NC Communicable Disease: www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/gcdc
Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov