Public Health would like to pass along the following information about Tuberculosis (TB) to the community of Nain, NL:
TB is not a new disease. It is a disease found all over the world.
TB is a disease caused by a bacteria that is too small to seen.
TB is spread when a person who has active TB disease coughs or sneezes. To get infected, you will have to spend many hours every day with someone who has TB. You cannot get infected with TB by shaking hands, touching things that belong to people who have TB or sharing dishes with someone who has active disease.
Sharing smoking devices such as cigarettes, third lungs, and bongs spread TB germs.
Not all people who come in contact with TB germs get sick with active TB disease. This is called a sleeping (latent) TB infection – you are not sick and you can¬not spread it to anyone else.
A positive TB skin test does not mean that you have active TB or that you are infectious and able to spread the disease to family and friends. It means that you will need a CXR and spit samples collected to rule out active disease. It is really important that you work with public health to complete all of your follow up.
A person infected with active TB disease may lose weight, not want to eat, feel very tired, sweat during the night, have a cough, and/or cough up blood. If you have any of these symptoms please make an appointment at the LGH Regional Community Clinic.
TB can be cured by taking medicine. It is important that you take all of your medication.
It is important to work with public health to complete all of your tests and to take all of your medications for your own health as well as the health of your family, friends and community.
If you have any questions about TB, or would like to get tested for TB, please contact your public health staff at 922-2962.
To hear more of this important information regarding TB for our listeners, click HERE.