38 Active Tuberculosis
38.1 Epidemiologic Review
38.1.1 Disease Information
Overview: Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and has both symptomatic (active) and asymptomatic (latent) manifestations. Tuberculosis can be a serious condition that leads to hospitalization or death.
Symptoms: Tuberculosis symptoms most commonly occur in the lungs. These include a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer, pain in the chest, and coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs). Other symptoms include weakness or fatigue, weight loss, no appetite, chills, fever and sweating at night.
Transmission: Tuberculosis bacteria are spread through the air, especially when the infection is in the lungs or throat. Tuberculosis in other parts of the body is less transmissible.
Treatment: Treatment of latent tuberculosis can prevent it from becoming active tuberculosis, and active tuberculosis can progress to a fatal disease without treatment. Completing the treatment regimen is essential for preventing antibiotic resistance from developing.
Prevention Treating latent tuberculosis to prevent it from becoming active tuberculosis is important, especially for those who are new cases, immunocompromised, elderly or young.
38.1.2 Demographics
| Race | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Asian | 10.9 |
| Black or African American | <5 cases |
| White | 1.6 |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | <5 cases |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | <5 cases |
| Other Race | <5 cases |
| Two or More Races | <5 cases |
38.1.4 Monthly and Historical Comparisons
Data for Utah and the CDC were retrieved from the CDC’s Notifiable Infectious Disease Data Tables. National data was not available for this disease in the time range at time of report.