Broward High School has identified an aggressive case of tuberculosis, one of the world’s most deadly but treatable infectious diseases.
Bacterial infections, also known as tuberculosis, spread by breathing the bacteria of an infected person. The disease usually infects the lungs, but can affect the brain, kidneys and other parts of the body as well.
Thousands of people are diagnosed with TB every year in the United States, but up until a few years ago, the number of cases has steadily declined, and according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the lowest TB infection rate in the world is considered to be the lowest in the world.
Federal agencies still believe the risk of infection is low, but since 2021, the year after Covid hit, more cases of tuberculosis have been recorded in Florida and other parts of the United States.
Recent federal data shows Florida recorded more than 600 TB cases in 2024, making it the fourth highest number of reported cases.
Antibiotics can help treat and treat infections, but if left untreated, tuberculosis can lead to severe infection and even death.
Here’s other things you need to know:
What is the difference between inactive tuberculosis and active TB?
Tuberculosis can be a disease that is difficult to monitor because of lack of symptoms and you may not know about it.
The CDC estimates that up to 13 million people in the United States live with “potential tuberculosis” and is also known as “inactive TB.” This means that bacteria are dormant and not causing the person to get sick, according to Dr. Paula Eckardt, director of infectious diseases at Memorial Healthcare System, one of Broward’s two public hospital systems. People with inactive tuberculosis are not considered contagious, she said.
Others may have “active TB.” This is likely that the person is thought to be contagious and has experienced a variety of symptoms, including long-term coughing and coughing, Eckard said.
Sometimes bacteria are dormant in the human body for years. Then one day, the bacteria wake up and make a person sick. This usually occurs when a person’s immune system is weakened due to a certain health condition or treatment, including cancer, HIV, or organ transplantation, Eckardt said.
“Without treatment, one in ten people with inactive tuberculosis will be ill with active tuberculosis,” according to the CDC. Those who have been identified as inactive or active tuberculosis should receive treatment to cure the infection.
“You can treat it,” but “it’s not easy to treat,” Eckardt said. “You have to take a lot of medications a day, and that’s treatable.”
How will it spread?
Tuberculosis is caused by germ known as tuberculosis mycobacterium.
According to the CDC, it is contagious when the disease is affecting a person’s lungs and throat, but it is contagious when it affects a person’s kidneys, spine, brain or other body parts.
According to the CDC, the illness sounds similar to covid, flu and other colds. However, usually you will need to be in close contact with an infected person for several hours to be at risk of infection.
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This means that you can’t gain tuberculosis by overtaking people who are sick and sick in grocery stores or in corridors, Eckardt said.
Who is at the most risk?
According to the CDC and Eckardt, anyone can get TB infection, but some people are at greater risk.
Some of the high-risk groups include:
▪ According to the CDC, people born in countries and those who frequently travel to countries with common illnesses, such as Asia, Africa and Latin America.
▪Those with weak immune systems due to preexisting medical conditions or treatment, such as diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, HIV.
▪ People who work in hospitals, homeless shelters, prisons, prisons and nursing homes are also at a higher risk of infection. The CDC says the infection is likely to spread to indoor areas and areas with inadequate air circulation.
▪ People who spend long periods of time in enclosed spaces such as cars, classrooms, office spaces, and homes are also at a higher risk of infection with active tuberculosis, said Broward’s doctor.
How many TB cases are there in Florida and the US?
According to preliminary CDC data, 10,347 TB cases were reported in the US in 2024, with three cases per 100,000 people. This is about 8% more cases than in 2023, when cases exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
The CDC has contributed to the end of nearly 30 years of tuberculosis infections linked to recovery from “pandemic-related healthcare disruptions, increased post-pandemic travel and travel, and outbreaks in several states.” Most cases in the country involve people who were not born in the US
Florida recorded 681 TB cases in 2024, about 9% more than the previous year, federal data shows. California had the highest number of TB cases reported in 2024, with 2,100 cases. More than 30 other states also have an increase in cases of tuberculosis. While most people are recovering, some still die from illness complications in the US
Most common tuberculosis symptoms
Some common tuberculosis symptoms resemble other infectious diseases, such as fatigue, chills, and fever.
Beware of other symptoms, including:
▪Cough lasts for at least 3 weeks
▪Chest pain
▪ Exhale blood or sput (pregum from deep in the lungs)
▪Day sweat, weight loss, loss of appetite.
Anyone with active tuberculosis or is exposed to someone with potential tuberculosis symptoms should call their doctor for guidance.
Is there a tuberculosis vaccine available?
According to the CDC, vaccines are present to reduce the risk of severe tuberculosis infection, but this shot is usually not given to people in the US because the country has a low risk of infection.
The federal agency also said the “variable effects on adult pulmonary tuberculosis” and “potential to trigger a vaccine’s false positive TB skin test response” are other reasons why the US generally do not use shots.
However, parts of South Florida could be offset by the illness. Although this shot is not common in the US, many people born in other countries are often vaccinated as children against tuberculosis to reduce the risk of severe infection.
Tuberculosis shots are known as Bacille Calmette-Guérin, or BCG, vaccine.
How is tuberculosis diagnosed and treated?
Doctors usually order blood or skin tests to check for TB if someone has been exposed to someone infected with active tuberculosis or suspected of having a disease. Doctors can also order TB tests for those at risk prior to cancer or other treatments before other treatments.
According to the CDC, those who were vaccinated with a TB shot that was hit by tuberculosis when they were checked should undergo a blood test rather than a skin test. This is because it is known that vaccines can cause false positives in skin tests.
If your doctor determines you have inactive or active tuberculosis, you will be prescribed medication to remove the infection. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this can be a long process with months of treatment. According to memorial doctor Eckardt, people usually stop contagious after weeks of treatment.
