What the Tuberculosis Clinic offers
The Tuberculosis (TB) Clinic at Public Health works to prevent and control the spread of tuberculosis in El Paso County through targeted testing, treatment, and education. The TB program offers the following services to El Paso County residents:
- TB evaluation and treatment for those at high risk of TB infection or TB disease
- Evaluation and treatment of those who have recently been in contact with someone who has tuberculosis disease
- Serving as a public resource for accurate information about TB
- Consultation and advanced testing and evaluation services for local health care providers
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium (or germ) called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB usually affects the lungs. TB can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. TB can also affect multiple parts of the body at the same time. For example, TB can affect both the lungs and lymph nodes. Not everyone infected with TB germs becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: inactive TB (or latent TB infection) and active TB disease.
If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.