Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/argus/index.ssf?/base/news/1213986125238900.xml&coll=6
Officials confirm another case of TB from call center
Friday, June 20, 2008
By Kurt Eckert
The Argus
On Wednesday, Washington County health officials confirmed another case of tuberculosis related to a March, 2007, outbreak at a Beaverton call center.
The new patient was an employee of Stream, Intl., on Murray Boulevard, last year and was probably exposed then. He was tested a year ago as part of an investigation by the Washington County Department of Health and Human services, but there was no sign of active or latent infection at that time.
Health department spokesman Kent Burtner said it is not unusual to diagnose new cases of TB in the two years following a significant exposure. Health officials determined in 2007 that the initial patient continued coming to work, even after becoming very ill, increasing the chance of exposure to others.
The new patient worked at Stream for a period of six weeks while potentially infectious, but has not been working onsite since mid-February of this year, Burtner said.
Some Stream employees may have been exposed to TB during that time, especially those who worked in close proximity to the new patient.
Beginning next week, WCDHHS staff will contact those known to be at-risk to provide free TB evaluations. Free evaluations will be available to any concerned employee, even if not considered at-risk.
The center's high number of workers and rapid turnover, proved to be the recipe of the "perfect storm" for an outbreak, said Cathy Vickers, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. As many as 1,600 people were exposed, she told Washington County Commissioners during a Nov. 27, 2007 report.
Latent infection rates were at about 8.3 percent following testing, much higher positive tests than expected. Four people were later diagnosed with active TB and received medication.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. It can be spread when someone who is ill with untreated TB coughs or sneezes. People who breathe these germs into their lungs can become infected. Being exposed to TB does not mean a person will become ill with TB. Most people who are exposed do not become infected.
TB disease is readily treated, and is almost always curable.
Only people with active TB disease of the lungs or airways can spread infection. People who have only a positive TB skin test cannot spread infection.
TB is hard to catch. Most people who get infected have had close prolonged contact with someone who has the disease, often daily contact over a period of weeks or months. You are not likely to get TB from someone walking in the hallway or from a brief encounter. Tuberculosis is not spread by sharing articles of clothing, dishes or drinking glasses.
Officials confirm another case of TB from call center
Friday, June 20, 2008
By Kurt Eckert
The Argus
On Wednesday, Washington County health officials confirmed another case of tuberculosis related to a March, 2007, outbreak at a Beaverton call center.
The new patient was an employee of Stream, Intl., on Murray Boulevard, last year and was probably exposed then. He was tested a year ago as part of an investigation by the Washington County Department of Health and Human services, but there was no sign of active or latent infection at that time.
Health department spokesman Kent Burtner said it is not unusual to diagnose new cases of TB in the two years following a significant exposure. Health officials determined in 2007 that the initial patient continued coming to work, even after becoming very ill, increasing the chance of exposure to others.
The new patient worked at Stream for a period of six weeks while potentially infectious, but has not been working onsite since mid-February of this year, Burtner said.
Some Stream employees may have been exposed to TB during that time, especially those who worked in close proximity to the new patient.
Beginning next week, WCDHHS staff will contact those known to be at-risk to provide free TB evaluations. Free evaluations will be available to any concerned employee, even if not considered at-risk.
The center's high number of workers and rapid turnover, proved to be the recipe of the "perfect storm" for an outbreak, said Cathy Vickers, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. As many as 1,600 people were exposed, she told Washington County Commissioners during a Nov. 27, 2007 report.
Latent infection rates were at about 8.3 percent following testing, much higher positive tests than expected. Four people were later diagnosed with active TB and received medication.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. It can be spread when someone who is ill with untreated TB coughs or sneezes. People who breathe these germs into their lungs can become infected. Being exposed to TB does not mean a person will become ill with TB. Most people who are exposed do not become infected.
TB disease is readily treated, and is almost always curable.
Only people with active TB disease of the lungs or airways can spread infection. People who have only a positive TB skin test cannot spread infection.
TB is hard to catch. Most people who get infected have had close prolonged contact with someone who has the disease, often daily contact over a period of weeks or months. You are not likely to get TB from someone walking in the hallway or from a brief encounter. Tuberculosis is not spread by sharing articles of clothing, dishes or drinking glasses.