Gloucester Township, NJ) – The Camden County Department of Health and Human Services has been notified that a Camden County resident was diagnosed with Tuberculosis.
On February 12, a Camden County resident presented to a local hospital with symptoms consistent with Tuberculosis. Laboratory results confirmed an active TB diagnosis, and the Camden County Health Department was notified on February 17. The resident was immediately placed on isolation precaution at the local hospital and started receiving treatment on February 19.
“This is a continuing investigation, and we are actively working with the New Jersey Department of Health to identify individuals who may have been exposed,” said Commissioner Jennifer Cooley Fleisher, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services. “The individual’s household members are in the process of being tested for TB, at this time, no household members or close contacts have presented with TB associated symptoms.”
Tuberculosis or TB is a disease caused by bacteria caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spread from person to person through the air. Many people who have TB infection never develop TB disease. But some people who have TB infection are more likely to develop TB disease than others. Individuals with weakened immune systems are at very high risk of developing active TB disease once infected with TB bacteria.
Symptoms of active TB disease depend on where in the body the TB bacteria is growing. TB bacteria usually grow in the lungs (pulmonary TB), but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, kidneys or spine. People with inactive TB do not have symptoms of TB disease. However, without treatment, they can develop active TB disease and become sick.
Active TB disease in the lungs may cause symptoms such as:
- A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
- Pain in the chest
- Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm) from deep inside the lungs
Other symptoms of active TB disease are:
- Weakness or fatigue
- Weight loss
- No appetite
- Chills
- Fever
- Sweating at night
Symptoms of active TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected:
- TB disease of the lymph nodes may cause a firm red or purple swelling under the skin
- TB disease of the kidney may cause blood in the urine
- TB meningitis (TB disease of the brain) may cause headache or confusion
- TB disease of the spine may cause back pain
- TB disease of the larynx may cause hoarseness