Public health officials are warning individuals and health care providers to be aware of a cluster of tuberculosis cases in northeast Arkansas, according to a news release Tuesday from the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University.
The release says that from 2021 through 2023, there have been 27 known cases of the infection in northeast and southeast regions, including six cases in Craighead County this year.
Of the 27 known cases, over half of infected individuals were hospitalized during their illness, including several children.
“This is a large cluster,” said Dr. Sandra Chai, an infectious disease physician who serves as the assistant tuberculosis controller for the Arkansas Department of Health. “We suspect that there are undetected cases of active and latent tuberculosis related to this cluster. We need our healthcare providers to help us find them so we can treat them.”
Symptoms of tuberculosis include persistent cough of more than two to three weeks duration, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and night sweats. If untreated, tuberculosis can cause serious illness and can be fatal.
“Healthcare providers, as well as the general public, need to be aware of the current prevalence of tuberculosis in our region,” said Dr. Shane Speights, the Craighead County health officer, medical director for the city of Jonesboro and dean of NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University. “Because we’re at the beginning cold and flu season, it can be easy to confuse tuberculosis with other respiratory illnesses, but with the potential seriousness of the infection, we need both patients and providers to be alert so we can properly identify cases.”
Speights said that people with symptoms or potential exposure should visit their county health department or personal care provider for testing.
The Craighead County Health Department is located at 611 E. Washington Ave. in Jonesboro and can be reached at 870-933-4585.
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