A small number of tuberculosis cases have been confirmed in migrant shelters in Chicago city, health officials reported. The update comes a week after health officials announced the detection of 52 cases of measles in the city, most of which were linked to migrant shelters.
Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial infection that primarily targets the lungs and spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or spits.
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has not revealed the exact number of tuberculosis cases they have detected. However, they have confirmed that there have been no instances reported of city residents contracting the infection from exposure to migrants who tested positive for tuberculosis.
There are over 11,000 undocumented immigrants residing in shelters within Chicago city. Officials expect a maximum of 150 tuberculosis diagnoses among Chicago residents throughout the year.
"I would not characterize this as an outbreak. It's relatively in line with what we expect to see," said the health department spokesperson Jacob Martin.
The health officials do not see the current scenario as a substantial public threat. Around 10-20% of Central and South Americans have latent tuberculosis, which means that they test positive for the lung infection but are not capable of transmitting it to others, officials said.
"TB is not a novel or rarely seen illness in Chicago. We will continue to offer treatment to individuals as necessary and take the proper precautions to eliminate the spread. TB is curable with antibiotics and is not particularly infectious, typically requiring several hours or more of prolonged close contact between individuals to spread. CDPH continues to take cases seriously in order to keep it contained," the health officials told The National Desk.
Know symptoms of Tuberculosis:
Only a small proportion of people who get infected with TB will develop the infection and experience symptoms. Others might carry it as a latent infection without making the person sick. People with latent TB cannot spread the infection to others.
Common signs of tuberculosis include a persistent cough lasting three weeks or more, chest pain, and coughing up blood or sputum from deep within the lungs. Other symptoms include weakness or fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, chills, fever, and night sweats.
Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, tobacco use, weakened immune systems, and malnourishment can increase a person's risk for tuberculosis disease.
