Thread: CDC: Immigrants comprise most TB cases in Kansas, U.S.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/s ... 555619.htm

Posted on Fri, Jan. 26, 2007



CDC: Immigrants comprise most TB cases in Kansas, U.S.

ROXANA HEGEMAN
Associated Press

WICHITA, Kan. - When the Somalian refugee walked into the health department of an Emporia meatpacking plant earlier this month suffering from active tuberculosis, he became the latest entry on government health statistics - 62 percent of active TB cases reported in Kansas last year involved immigrants.

"That is actually a national trend over the last several years, " said Phil Griffin, director of the Kansas Tuberculosis Control Program.

For four consecutive years, immigrants have comprised more than half of active TB cases in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2005, the latest year for which national data was available, foreign-born residents accounted for 55 percent of TB cases nationwide. Immigrants are infected at a rate nearly nine times higher than the native population.

In 22 states, immigrants accounted for more than half of TB cases, up from five states in 1993, according to the CDC.

"Tuberculosis is pandemic in all but 27 countries," Griffin said. "There are so many more cases outside the United States. As immigrants come in - legally or illegally, either way - that is where the disease is coming from, because it is rampant in their countries."

Last week, health officials reported that a Somalian immigrant working at the Tyson Foods Inc. plant in Emporia had an active case of TB, and the coroner determined the disease was related to his death. The man initially said he was injured while preparing an animal for slaughter and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he later died.

While TB in the United States was at an all-time low in 2005, progress to eliminate the disease is slowing, CDC statistics show. In 2005, the CDC recorded 14,093 active TB cases, or 4.8 cases per 100,000 persons.

California, Texas, New York and Florida now account for nearly half of the number of TB cases nationwide, according to CDC statistics.

"It is a kind of dirty little secret because it is not reported much. I think it is huge myself," said Ed Hayes, Kansas director of the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps., which opposes illegal immigration.

Kansas had 81 cases of active TB in 2006, compared with 61 cases the year before, said Lougene Marsh, director of the Lyon County Health Department.

The percentage of immigrant TB cases in Kansas is higher than the national average because the state's agricultural economy attracts large numbers of immigrants. "Kansas has always been in that situation," Griffin said.

The 20-year-old Tyson worker, whose name has not been released, had been employed at the Emporia plant since May 2006 and had not worked at any other company facility, Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson.

Since his death, health officials have contacted 35 people who had close contact with the man, and initial test results show no one else was infected, Marsh said.

By far, the greatest number of TB cases among immigrants comes from those who came from Mexico, CDC statistics show. The other top countries of origin for immigrants with the disease come from the Philippines, Vietnam, India and China.

Kansas usually has between three and five TB cases in workers at meatpacking plants each year, Griffin said. Often, the greatest number of cases in Kansas is found among university students because so many foreign exchange students are in the state's university system.

The state's largest concentration of TB cases is usually in Wichita, where 24 cases were reported last year. That was followed by the Kansas City area, with about 14 cases, and Topeka, with nine cases. The remainder are scattered across the state.

TB is a very sneaky disease, in that most people who contract it don't know. By the time you have symptoms, it's well along. My grandfather had TB back in the early 20th century before I lived with him. He didn't have to enter a hospital but he did have to keep his distance from family members, using separate towels, etc.

By far, the greatest number of TB cases among immigrants comes from those who came from Mexico, CDC statistics show.

Really, well, guess some OBLer's need to apologize to us then, eh?

These are the same people who handle the food in resturants, the maids in hotels who handle your towels etc.they work in Day Care Centers and as nannys, and may live with other exposed or infected carriers.
Who works in the school serving your kids lunch?
Next time take a good look at the Carpet cleaner, tile installer, roofer or
other worker that may expose you and your family to TB. Who cleans your work place?