Healthy Communities

Tuberculosis

World TB Day is celebrated each year on March 24. This date commemorates the 1882 discovery of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. This day is used to educate on the worldwide impact of TB and discuss strives toward TB elimination. To learn more, click here.

The ADH’s TB Program will hold the first Dr. Joseph H Bates Memorial Walk on March 25. It commemorates Dr. Bates and his dedication to the advances of TB treatment and elimination. The walk will be across from the ADH Central Office on the corner of W Markham Street and S Monroe Street. Participants are encouraged to walk one mile (three laps). There will be food trucks to enjoy after. The event will also include a raffle.

 

Tuberculosis (TB) 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. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. 

The mission of the TB Program is to prevent, control, and eliminate tuberculosis in Arkansas.

The ADH TB Program is responsible for all TB control activities in Arkansas including diagnosis and treatment of all TB cases and contact investigations around infectious cases. The program provides treatment for persons diagnosed with latent TB infection. Other activities include:

  1. TB education for clinicians and the general population
  2. Comprehensive laboratory support with microscopy
  3. Culture, sensitivity and genotyping of specimens
  4. The TB program conducts targeted screening of high-risk populations such as international students from TB endemic countries that are attending colleges and universities.

9,557 TB cases reported in the U.S. in 2015

 

 

 

 

 

For the TB Morbidity and Mortality Reports, click here.

For more information about TB, choose any of the following links:

TB Testing

ADH provides TB Skin Tests to the following individuals:

  1. ADH employees during annual testing
  2. Children of high-risk populations when presenting for any service such as WIC of Immunizations
  3. Persons determined by the State TB Control Office

ADH offers TB testing to the following individuals:

  1. TB Suspects/Cases
  2. Contacts of Suspects/Cases
  3. Newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients
  4. Foreign-born maternity patients 

All other individuals requiring testing for employment (employees of hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities, etc.) should see their employer, primary care provider, or another healthcare provider.

Provider Consultation

Providers needing to discuss the care and treatment services or needs of a patient for TB, contact the local health unit for the county where the patient resides. To locate the contact information for the county’s local health unit click here

Office Address Phone Fax
TB Program

4815 W. Markham Street, Slot 33
Little Rock, AR 72205

501-661-2152 501-661-2226

Public Health Accrediation Board
Arkansas Department of Health
© 2017 Arkansas Department of Health. All Rights Reserved. www.healthy.arkansas.gov
4815 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205-3867
1-800-462-0599