Valdosta, GA - On March 24, 1882 Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes tuberculosis (TB). Over a hundred years later, organizations from around the world use that day to push for awareness about the bacteria.
There have been great strides in the control and cure of TB but people still get sick and die from the disease. In Georgia, the number of TB cases decreased to only 399 TB cases reported in 2013.
“Tuberculosis is still a life-threatening problem in the US,” says Brenda Mims, RN, Infectious Disease Coordinator. “Anyone can get TB; however, the most at risk for TB are those with HIV infections or diabetes, and the homeless.”
This World TB Day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls for further collaboration to find and treat TB. By working together to raise awareness that TB still exists, we can bring attention to this public health problem.
The CDC and its domestic and international partners are taking many steps to stop further spread of TB and to reduce the overall burden of the disease. Efforts range from developing new treatment regimens and increasing the capacity of health professionals to provide adequate treatment, to issuing new recommendations for improved testing and treating for US immigrants.
