TB no risk to general public
WORKER AT PROCESSING PLANT WAS INFECTED
With tuberculosis exposure notifications sent out to 55 people in the Alberta Health Services South Zone, the organization sought to assure local residents there is no risk to the public.
On Thursday, Dr. Vivien Suttorp, Lead Medical Officer of Health for AHS South Zone, said the goal was to alleviate public concerns about tuberculosis risk to the general public.
She said the notifications are sent out based on potential exposure risk and working outward in a circular pattern moving from the initial case.
“We call it a concentric circle process,” she said. “Initially, it’s highest risk or immediate family members.”
The 55 letters were sent to people potentially exposed to a confirmed case of tuberculosis in the South Zone.
Details of the case were unavailable, other than that a person infected with TB was working at a food-processing plant. Transmission is not related to the food processed at the facility, and there is no evidence it could occur by consuming the food being prepared.
The letters include information on arrangements for standard TB assessment and screening and treatment, if required.
The exposures were contained, and there is not a risk to the general public.
Exposure to active TB can lead to infection by inhaling the germ into the lungs.
People infected this way will not be able to spread the illness, because it lies inactive in their lungs.
If the person becomes ill or run down, the TB germ can become activated, produce symptoms and become active TB disease. Only individuals whose TB infection has progressed to active disease are potentially contagious. Sometimes the infection never becomes active, as long as a person remains in good health.
Only those who receive notification letters from AHS are considered exposed to this case.
TB Services and Communicable Disease Control Teams, together with the South Zone Medical Officer of Health are working to manage the followup screening that is routine in response to any potential exposure to a case of active infectious TB.
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