JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Duval County Health Department is currently conducting outreach investigations regarding elevated cases of tuberculosis in the Jacksonville homeless community.
While overall cases of TB in Duval County are down from the last year, DCHD disease control surveillance confirms evidence of a 16 percent increase in those considered homeless -- the highest in the state.
John Milledge, who's homeless in Jacksonville, is no stranger to TB.
"I didn't know I had it until I went to prison. Ain't no telling how long I had it," Milledge said.
He was treated for TB years ago, and he thinks he's disease free now. But because he's homeless, he hasn't been tested recently and is fearful he could catch it while staying in confined conditions at a shelter.
"In the dorms, people cough all the time," Milledge said. "You may think it's just a cold, you know, but you never know what the next person have."
DCHD is leading a community-wide education, prevention and treatment effort that includes the Florida Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jacksonville Community Tuberculosis Coalition, and the city of Jacksonville.
"Our No. 1 goal is basically to eliminate TB in our community," said Dr. Aaron Hilliard, of the Health Department.
Hilliard said TB is easily spread by coughing, sneezing or even singing. He said despite the significant statistical increase among homeless, the department is working to limit the risk.
"We've developed a plan, we have it under control, but we're trying to get more feet on the ground so that we can identify contacts that need to be investigated," Hilliard said.
Area facilities that provide services to potential infectious homeless people have been notified and are assisting with various forms of outreach, officials said. They said staff, volunteers and clients who are determined to be at risk will be screened, tested and treated as necessary. All suspected cases are being treated as active TB and followed up with proper medical treatment, officials said.
Shelters like the Sulzbacher Center test for TB frequently.
"There are certain strains that are treatment resistant that are particularly scary, that the CDC educated us on," said Kathleen Patneau, health services administrator at the center. "It's certainly a disease that can be managed if it can get identified, and that's why we really support screening like we do."
The investigation is a continuation of DCHD efforts to monitor the spread of TB in the Duval County, officials said. In 2011, DCHD reported 71 confirmed cases of active TB. For 2012 to date, there are 27 confirmed cases of active TB reported in Duval County.
TB is a disease that is spread from person to person through the air. It usually affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. A positive test usually means that the person has been infected with the TB germ. It does not necessarily mean that the person has active TB disease.
Other tests, such as an X-ray or sputum sample, are needed to determine if the person has active TB disease. Most TB cases can be easily cured through proper medical treatment.
For additional information about TB, visit the following links:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Disease_ctrl/tb/Introduction-Basics/TBIntro-Basics.html