Copyright 2003 AScribe Inc.
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March 21, 2003 Friday
LENGTH: 782 words
HEADLINE: Despite Slight Decrease in Tuberculosis Cases in California, American
Lung Association of California Cautions Against Relaxing Prevention Efforts on World TB
Day, March 24
BODY:
OAKLAND, Calif., March 24 [AScribe Newswire] -- As public health advocates worldwide
prepare to mark March 24 as World TB Day, the American Lung Association of California
called on the State of California to avert a resurgence of tuberculosis in this state by
increasing funding for tuberculosis [TB] prevention and control efforts.
California continues to report the highest number of TB cases in the United States.
Case increases were experienced last year in Alameda, Imperial, Kern, Long Beach, Madera,
Merced, Riverside, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare and
Ventura.
The rate of tuberculosis [TB] in California dropped in 2002 to 8.9 cases per
100,000 residents. A total of 3,169 cases of TB were reported in the state in 2002,
compared to 3,332 in 2001 when cases had risen 1 percent. After a resurgence of TB
in the late 1980s, the public health network was renewed and cases declined from the 5,382
reported at the height of the California epidemic in 1992 until 2001.
Even though the cases declined slightly statewide, wide disparities continue in the rates
of TB among California's racial and ethnic groups: the rate for Asians/Pacific
Islanders is 29.9 per 100,000 individuals; for African-Americans it is 11.6 per 100,000;
the rate for Hispanics is 11.2 per 100,000; for American Indian/Alaskan Native it is 3.8
per 100,000; and for White, Non-Hispanic, 1.8 per 100,000.
The statewide theme for World TB Day this year is, "TB or Not TB, There
is a Choice." The California TB Controllers Association chose this theme to
emphasize the fact that TB is curable and preventable, and that California can make
the choice to eliminate this disease.
"When government makes it a priority and funds the necessary control efforts, the TB
rates decline. When the government does not make this investment in public health, we
experience a resurgence," said Barbara Cole, RN, MSN, PHN, a volunteer board member
of the American Lung Association of California and chair of its Tuberculosis Technical
Advisory Group.
Historical state and federal government budget cuts resulted when it was perceived that TB
was no longer a threat. This lead to a TB disease resurgence throughout California
in the early 1990's. Funding was replaced and a steady decline of TB rates in
latter part of the decade resulted. Now, however, state funding is in jeopardy again.
In FY 2001-2002, $400,000 was cut from the State TB Control Local Assistance
Budget. These cuts have not been restored and these and other potential future cuts could
dramatically increase the number of people exposed to and diagnosed with TB, while
decreasing the ability to adequately respond to outbreaks.
While acknowledging that California is facing a serious budget shortfall, the American
Lung Association of California believes that delaying the restoration of these important
local TB funds may put the state at risk for enormous future health expenditures
should a serious TB outbreak occur. TB is transmitted through the air when
an individual with active TB coughs or talks. Anyone inhaling air containing the TB
bacteria may become infected. Patients with latent TB infection can be treated to
prevent progression to active TB disease. It takes six months or more for
appropriate medications to cure active TB disease.
Inappropriate or incomplete therapy can lead to TB patients developing and
spreading strains of multidrug resistant TB, which means the germs are resistant to
the best available drugs. Multidrug resistant TB can be untreatable and has been
listed by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a possible agent of
bioterrorism. Multidrug resistant TB cases rose 60 percent from 2001.
TB is a preventable, treatable disease. However, TB has reached epidemic
levels worldwide. An estimated one-third of the world's population [2 billion
people] carry latent TB infection. Each year, approximately 8 million new cases
occur and nearly 2 million people die from the disease globally. TB is the leading
cause of death for people with AIDS and the leading cause of maternal mortality.
CONTACT:
Andrew Weisser, 818-703-6444; aweisser@earthlink.net
American Lung Association, 800-LUNG-USA
NOTE TO EDITORS: County-specific tuberculosis statistics
are available through the American Lung Association of
California's web site, www.californialung.org
and/or by
contacting the American Lung Association at the above
numbers.
Related news conferences will be held as follows on
Monday, March 24: San Francisco: 10 a.m., Chinatown Public
Health Center, 1490 Mason St. San Jose: 11 a.m., 2400
Moorpark Ave., Rm. 210
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