Officials search for people exposed to Whitfield County resident diagnosed with tuberculosis

Tuberculosis tile
Tuberculosis tile

North Georgia health officials are working to track down people who may have had contact with a Whitfield County resident diagnosed with tuberculosis.

The infected person -- who officials have not publicly named -- has received medication to treat the bacterial illness, health district spokeswoman Jennifer King said. At this point in the investigation, health officials have not detected any further spread of the illness in this case.

"The good news is that TB is very curable and we are expecting this individual will make a full recovery," King said.

TB is a respiratory illness that spreads through the air. The only way to contract the disease is by close contact with someone who has an active case of it.

Health officials did not say where the infected person may have contracted the illness. But since the diagnosis earlier this month, they have been trying to identify any potential contacts the person may have had.

Tuberculosis cases in Georgia and Tennessee

Georgia had 340 cases of TB in 2013, the most recent data available, and Tennessee had 142.

That includes some patients of Dalton Ear, Nose and Throat Associates who may have come in contact with a "source" of the illness, said administrator Karen Erikson, who would not confirm whether the source was a patient.

All staff at the clinic tested negative for the illness, but the clinic sent out letters to patients as a precaution.

"We are health care providers. There are going to be people walking in our door, and we may not know what they have," said Erikson. "But we want to be proactive about making sure our patients are aware of the situation."

Symptoms of tuberculosis can include a cough of longer than three weeks, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, chills, fever and coughing up blood.

The health department has also mailed letters to people who may have been exposed, and will perform tests and treatment as needed.

"TB disease progresses over the course of weeks or months, so there is no immediate risk to the public," said Dr. David Holland, a medical consultant with the Georgia Tuberculosis Program, which has been monitoring the case.

TB disease is typically treated for six to nine months with antibiotics.

A person with TB will become non-contagious within a few days to weeks of receiving treatment.

In 2013, Georgia had 340 cases of TB and Tennessee had 142, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Contact staff writer Kate Belz at kbelz@times freepress.com or 423-757-6673.

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