Today, the Pima County Health Department will officially open a new $400,000 tuberculosis clinic on Tucson's south side. The facility expects to see more than 5,000 people per year.
While the clinic, on the campus of UPH Hospital at Kino, is not much bigger than its old location in downtown Tucson, clinic director and registered nurse Anne Davis said it has a much-improved design, including better ventilation as well as improved labs and security.
County officials renovated an existing building that had been occupied by COPE Behavioral Health Services
Pima County had 26 confirmed cases of tuberculosis in 2009. Typically, the county sees between 25 and 35 cases.
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body, such as the kidney, spine and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.
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It is spread through the air from one person to another, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention says. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with active tuberculosis of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
TB is not spread by shaking someone's hand, sharing food or drink, touching bed linens or toilet seats, sharing toothbrushes or kissing, the CDC says.
The Pima County clinic not only treats people with active tuberculosis, but it also screens and identifies high-risk populations, Davis said.
The clinic is staffed by Davis, who manages it, plus three registered-nurse case managers, a licensed practical nurse, two outreach workers, an X-ray technician and two administrative assistants.
"We see all sorts of people come in and get work screenings, clearance to stay in one of the local shelters - a lot of people come in yearly for (TB) clearance cards," Davis said. "If they are diagnosed with active TB, all the treatment is free."
The county has had a TB clinic since the 1960s. Some of the changes that have occurred recently include an increasing number of TB cases among foreign-born people. Last year's cases were among people from the Philippines, Mexico, Vietnam, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Haiti, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Kenya. County officials have not seen any TB cases so far this year, Davis said.
"It's a communicable disease, so the danger is if someone is walking around with TB, they might not know it right away. It's more common in close settings - homeless shelters, prisons, long-term-care facilities. . . . The danger is it can kill you if it's not treated."
TB symptoms, prevalence in U.S.
The clinic, at 2970 E. Ajo Way, accepts walk-ins for skin testing. For X-rays and other services, call 243-8450.
WARNING SIGNS
Symptoms of TB include a lingering cough, sometimes with coughing up of blood; losing a lot of weight; fatigue; night sweats; and a lack of energy.
BY THE NUMBERS
There were 12,904 TB cases - a rate of 4.2 cases per 100,000 people - reported in the United States in 2008. The TB rate in 2008 was the lowest recorded since national reporting began in 1953, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
TB disproportionately affects American Indians and Hispanics - six cases per 100,000 people for Indians and 8.1 cases per 100,000 for Hispanics. The rate for non-Hispanic whites is 1.1 per 100,000 people.
Contact reporter Stephanie Innes at 573-4134 or sinnes@azstarnet.com
