Arkansas reports increase in tuberculosis
The Arkansas Department of Health is reporting an increase in tuberculosis, or TB cases in 2024. For the first time in 15 years, over 100 cases have been recorded in the state in a year, as of Nov. 1, 2024.
This is in both the adult and pediatric populations.
In Arkansas, TB disproportionally affects African Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Those most at risk of severe complications are babies and young children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised.
TB is an airborne infection caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. The disease can be fatal, though, if not treated properly.
Symptoms may include a cough for three weeks or more as well as chest pain, fever, night sweats, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss. Many cases of TB are misdiagnosed as recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis. Screening is recommended for patients experiencing symptoms and for those with risk factors for severe disease. Risk factors include those exposed to known cases, those living in congregate settings and those with diabetes, cancer, organ transplants, kidney disease, HIV or weakened immune systems.