Tuberculosis germs can stay in the air for several hours.
The resident showed up at a hospital on Feb. 12 exhibiting symptoms consistent with TB, according to a press release. County officials are not releasing the name of the hospital. Five days later, on Feb.
17, the Camden County Health Department received laboratory results confirming an active TB diagnosis, officials said. The resident was subsequently placed on isolation precaution at the local hospital and started receiving treatment on Thursday, Feb. 19. “This is a continuing investigation, and we are actively working with the New Jersey Department of Health to identify individuals who may have been exposed,” said Commissioner Jennifer Cooley Fleisher, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services, in a statement. “The individual’s household members are in the process of being tested for TB, at this time, no household members or close contacts have presented with TB-associated symptoms,” Cooley Fleisher said. While TB isn’t a widespread threat in the U.S., public health experts are warning it remains one of the top causes of death worldwide and public awareness is key to prevent illness. TB is a bacterium spread person-to-person through the air where it can remain for several hours. It’s often associated with coughing that lasts longer than two weeks, chest pain and coughing up blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While it usually attacks the lungs, it can attack other body parts such as the kidney, spine and brain. In 2024, 10,347 TB cases were provisionally reported across the country, an 8% increase in cases compared to the previous year. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia reported increases in TB case counts and rates from 2023 to 2024 — New Jersey wasn’t one of them. The state reported 343 cases in 2023 and 342 in 2024. Although cases haven’t increased, the state has a higher TB incidence rate than the national average, 3.6 cases per 100,000 people compared to the national rate of 3 cases per 100,000, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. Not everyone infected with TB immediately becomes sick. Data shows most people become sick after living with inactive TB for years. The CDC estimates that up to 13 million people in the U.S. have inactive TB. While not everyone with inactive TB will develop full-blown TB disease, the CDC estimates 1 in 10 people will develop TB disease over their lifetimes if left untreated. The World Health Organization and CDC encourage anyone at risk for TB infection to get tested and treated. While there is a vaccine for TB, it’s not generally recommended in the U.S. because of the low risk of severe disease in the country. The vaccine should only be considered for people who meet specific criteria, and in consultation with a TB expert, according to the CDC.Jackie Roman is a health care reporter for NJ.com and The Star-Ledger. In addition to covering breaking public health and drug industry news, she also writes feature stories and investigations. Prior to joining...
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