SACRAMENTO - The rate of tuberculosis (TB) cases in California was the same last year as the previous year, 9.5 cases per 100,000 residents, State Health Director Diana M. Bontá, R.N., Dr.P.H., announced today. A total of 3,332 cases of TB were reported in the state in 2001, compared to 3,297 in 2000.
Bontá released the latest data on TB cases in California as part of the state’s observance of World TB Day, March 24. The theme of this year's effort is "Don't Turn Back the Clock on TB."
"I am proud of the state's commitment to fight TB with our local public health and community provider partners," Bontá said.
After a resurgence of TB in the late 1980s, the public health network was renewed and cases have declined from the 5,382 reported at the height of the California epidemic in 1992 until 2001.
California continues to report the highest number of TB cases in the United States and wide disparities in the rates of TB among California’s race/ethnic groups: The rate for Asian/Pacific Islanders is 33.8 per 100,000 individuals; for African-Americans it is 12.4; the rate for Hispanics is 11.4; for American Indian/Alaskan Native it is 7.7; and for White, Non-Hispanic, 2.1 per 100,000.
"TB is an age-old disease and eliminating it is a fight that public health workers are waging around the world," Bontá said. "Although we have made great progress in California and in the United States, we know that much remains to be done to prevent a resurgence of the disease."
TB is transmitted through the air when an individual with active TB coughs or talks. Anyone inhaling air containing the TB bacteria may become infected. It takes six months or more for appropriate medications to cure an active TB infection.
Bontá also warned that inappropriate therapy can lead to TB patients developing and spreading "multi-drug resistant" TB that is resistant to treatment with available medications. Multi-drug resistant TB also can be untreatable and has been listed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a possible agent of bioterrorism.
CDHS is involved in the following efforts to control and eliminate TB:
- Ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment of TB cases and their contacts to prevent transmission of the disease.
- Expand the use of directly observed therapy to ensure that TB patients are cured and do not develop or spread multidrug resistant TB.
- Investigate cases of TB found in young children and implement strategies for childhood TB prevention.
- Ensure that individuals with multi-drug resistant TB receive appropriate treatment and do not spread their disease to others.
- Improve the working relationships between local health departments, correctional facilities and managed care organizations.
- Build on existing collaborative efforts with TB programs in Mexico.
- Improve TB detection and follow-up among immigrants suspected of having TB.
- Expand housing and detention capacity so homeless patients or noncompliant TB patients can complete treatment.
- Halt and prevent TB transmission in health care facilities and community settings.
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