Washington state records largest tuberculosis outbreak in two decades –

Washington is witnessing the largest TB epidemic in two decades, after a string of cases in the prison system.

Department of Health officials have uncovered 17 cases so far at “various” facilities, including the Stafford Creek Remediation Center about 160km from Seattle.

More testing is being done on staff and inmates, as disease experts warn that more cases could be identified in the coming days.

Washington has identified 70 cases of tuberculosis (TB) so far this year. In 2021, it reached 199, an increase of 22% compared to the previous year.

Tuberculosis is transmitted by coughing and sneezing, similar to Covid, but unlike the pandemic virus, infected people must stay with others for about eight hours to infect.

Treatment can last up to six months and usually involves giving the patient several antibiotics.

Dr. Marc Stern, an infectious disease specialist who works in prisons at the University of Washington, told DailyMail.com that the cases had goosebumps.

“You don’t just worry about people who have the infection, but once a person is infected there is always a risk that others will get it,” he said.

He warned that if an inmate has a dormant infection and then becomes active, or if someone is jailed after traveling from abroad, cases will land in prisons.

When asked if there would be more cases, he said this was likely due to the ongoing investigation.

The virus may lie dormant for years, but can be reactivated if a person becomes immune. Stress is unlikely to cause it.

Stern suggested that prison cases are less likely to end in society because of testing requirements.

“Normally in prison or prison, before anyone is extradited into the community, some sort of investigation is done to make sure the return is safe and organized,” he said.

“In the meantime, I hope if someone coughs, you suspect they have an infection and catch it before it’s released.”

Prisoners are regularly screened for diseases such as tuberculosis before hospitalization, but this can sometimes miss cases.

Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, Washington’s head of science, said, “It’s been 20 years since we’ve seen a string of tuberculosis cases like this one.

“The epidemic likely contributed to the increase in the number of cases and the outbreak in at least one correctional facility.

“Greater access to tuberculosis testing and treatment in the community will be key to tuberculosis control.”

In the United States, TB cases have been declining since the early 1990s, and the latest data for 2020 show that the number of infections nationwide has reached 7,174.

But Washington health chiefs say their states are catching up with the trend, with cases increasing in the previous 12 months last year.

People who get the disease tend not to experience symptoms for at least a week.

However, later they may experience fever, cough, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite and neck swelling.

The disease primarily affects the lungs and can develop into a serious illness in those who do not receive treatment.

According to research published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Infectious Diseases, between seven and 35 percent of people who get tuberculosis worldwide die.