Tuberculosis (TB) Prevention and Control

Mission:
The mission of the Georgia Tuberculosis (TB) Program is to control transmission, prevent illness and ensure treatment of disease due to TB. This is accomplished by the following core strategies:

1. Identifying and treating persons who have active TB disease
2. Finding, screening and treating contacts
3. Screening high-risk populations.

We provide testing and preventive therapy for those who may have been exposed to someone with the disease. We administer TB skin tests, which are used to determine whether a person has become infected with the TB germ, at all local county health departments. It can take anywhere from two to twelve weeks after exposure to the TB germ for your immune system to react to the tuberculin skin test, so a second test may be required for complete evaluation. We also offer the IGRA T-Spot test ( a blood serum test to determine infection) at the patient’s request for a cash payment of $100. We do not file insurance for this. All administration of Tuberculin Skin Tests is done by staff that has completed State TST Certification training.

What are the Symptoms of TB? (Including but not limited to)

• Fever
• Chills
• Night Sweats
• Significant weight loss (without trying)
• Weakness/tiredness

TB disease of the lungs will also include coughing, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Extrapulmonary TB symptoms will include some of the above symptoms along with pain or other problems in the area that is affected. FACT SHEET

How is TB Spread?
TB is spread person to person through the air. When a person with infectious TB disease coughs or sneezes, tiny particles containing Mycobacterium Tuberculosis may be expelled into the air. These particles called droplet nuclei can remain in the air for several hours depending on th environment.

If a person inhales the droplet nuclei, transmission has occurred. Not everyone who is exposed to the TB germ actually becomes infected with the TB germ.

What Does a Positive Tuberculin Skin Test Mean?
It only tells that a person has been infected with TB germs

IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO TB, GET TESTED AT YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Department of Public Health – Tuberculosis Prevention and Control
Center for Disease Control (CDC) – Tuberculosis