DOH: At-risk residents should get tested for TB

Officials raising awareness on ‘World Tuberculosis Day’

In observance of “World Tuberculosis Day” today, the state Department of Health Tuberculosis Control Branch is encouraging at-risk residents in the state to get tested for early TB diagnosis.

“Approximately 1.5 million people die from tuberculosis worldwide every year,” said Dr. Genevieve Ley, chief of the Health Department’s TB Control Branch. However, she said, active TB disease or the contagious form of TB can be cured with medications. People with latent TB infection or the noncontagious form of TB can also be treated to prevent progression to active TB disease.

In 2022, Hawaii had 102 cases of active TB disease. Symptoms of active TB include a prolonged cough of three weeks or longer, unexplained weight loss, fever, sweating at night and feeling weak or tired.

People with latent TB will not have any current symptoms, but the illness can progress to active TB if not treated. DOH estimates that as many as 70,000 to 100,000 Hawaii residents could be infected with latent TB.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following non-health-care workers are considered at increased risk for TB infection and should be tested:

● People who have spent time with someone who has TB disease.

● People from a country or region where TB disease is common (such as Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands).

● People who live or work in highrisk settings (such as facilities and homeless shelters).

● Infants, children and adolescents exposed to adults who are at increased risk for latent tuberculosis infection or TB disease.

DOH recommends that health care providers ensure that their patients who are diagnosed with latent TB complete a course of treatment.

Many employers require TB clearance for workers, the DOH said. Testing for TB clearance is available at 17 locations statewide through DOH. For more information, see health.hawaii. gov/tb/tb-testing-locations-times/.

DOH has resources available to help individuals and clinicians diagnose and treat tuberculosis. For more information on tuberculosis or the program’s services and activities, call (808) 8325731 or visit health.hawaii.gov/tb.