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Tuberculosis Elimination and Control Branch


The Delaware Tuberculosis Elimination and Control Branch works to prevent and control tuberculosis (TB) in Delaware. Its mission is to end TB in the State of Delaware by detecting, treating, and preventing TB. The Tuberculosis Elimination and Control Branch is made up of the Office of Public Health Nursing, Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, and the Delaware Public Health Laboratory.

TB is not a disease of the past. People around the world still get TB. There are medicines that kills TB germs. Taking these medicines can cure people of TB. The Division of Public Health (DPH) offers the medicine and treatment to people who have TB germs.

 

Reporting Cases of TB

  • TB disease is a rapidly reportable condition in Delaware. Healthcare personnel must immediately report suspected (i.e., without waiting for laboratory confirmation) and confirmed cases of TB disease to the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (OIDE). A confirmed case meets the clinical or laboratory case definition.
    Cases can be reported by phone (302-744-4990, normal business hours; 1-888-295-5156, outside of normal business hours), fax (302-622-4149), or email (reportdisease@delaware.gov). Information about what to report is available here.
  • TB infection, also known as latent TB, is not a reportable disease in Delaware. However, OIDE encourages reporting to it cases that meet the current case definition.
     

    Clinical Services

    Each county in Delaware has a TB clinic. The TB clinics are located in State Service Centers. DPH nurses and physician consultants work at the clinics. They test and treat people for tuberculosis. This includes performing interferon-gamma release assays and tuberculin skin tests. It also includes prescribing and distributing medicine that kills TB germs. The clinics do not do pre-employment tests, tests for school, or other administratively-required tests.

    County

    State Service Center

    Address

    Phone Number

    New Castle

    Floyd I. Hudson

    501 Ogletown Road,

    Newark, DE 19711

    302-283-7542

    Kent 

    James W. Williams

    805 River Road,

    Dover, DE 19901

    302-857-5130

    Sussex

    Thurman Adams

    544 South Bedford Street,

    Georgetown, DE 19947

    302-515-3200

General Referrals  

The clinics operate only by referrals from health care providers. Healthcare providers should complete the Tuberculosis Referral Form to refer people to a TB clinic. The form is available here. Steps to submit the referral are included on page 1 of the form.  

Refugee Health Screenings  

People from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela who moved to Delaware through the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans AND people from Ukraine who moved to Delaware through the Uniting for Ukraine process can get a medical screening for tuberculosis at a TB clinic. The medical screening for tuberculosis is free at the TB clinics. Screening for tuberculosis must occur within 90 days of arrival to the United States. Call any TB clinic in the table to schedule an appointment. Share with the clinic your name, date of birth, contact information, and the day you arrived in the United States. The clinic will then schedule your appointment.  

Moun ki soti Cuba, Ayiti, Nicaragua, ou Venezuela ki ap deplase vini Delaware nan kad Pwosesis pou Kiben, Ayisyen, Nikaragweyen, ak Venezyelyen epi moun ki soti Ikrèn kap vini Delaware nan kad pwosesis Inyon pou Ikrèn ap gen yon tès depsitaj pou tibekiloz pou yo fè nan yon klinik tibèkiloz. Tès depistaj tibèkiloz la ap gratis ti cheri nan klinik tibèkiloz yo. Tès depistaj tibèkiloz dwe fèt nan 90, koumanse depi moun lan rive Etazini. Rele nenpòt klinik ki nan list la pou fè yon randevou. Bay klinik la non ou, dat ou fèt, enfòmasyon kontak ou ak jou ou te rive Etazini. Epi klinik la ap ba ou yon randevou. 

Las personas provenientes de Cuba, Haití, Nicaragua o Venezuela que se hayan mudado a Delaware a través de los Procesos para Cubanos, Haitianos, Nicaragüenses y Venezolanos Y las personas provenientes de Ucrania que se mudaron a Delaware a través del proceso Uniting for Ukraine (Unidos por Ucrania) pueden someterse a un examen médico de tuberculosis en una clínica de tuberculosis. El examen médico de tuberculosis es gratuito en las clínicas de tuberculosis. El examen de tuberculosis debe realizarse dentro de los 90 días posteriores a la llegada a los Estados Unidos. Llame a cualquier clínica de TB en la tabla para programar una cita. Comparta con la clínica su nombre, fecha de nacimiento, información de contacto y el día en que llegó a los Estados Unidos. La clínica programará su cita. 

Люди з Куби, Гаїті, Нікарагуа чи Венесуели, які переїхали до Делаверу за програмою «Процедури для кубинців, гаїтян, нікарагуанців і венесуельців» (Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans) ТА люди з України, які переїхали до Делаверу за програмою «Єднаймося заради України» (Uniting for Ukraine) можуть пройти медичне обстеження на туберкульоз у протитуберкульозному диспансері.  У всіх протитуберкульозних диспансерах медичне обстеження проводиться безкоштовно. Медичне обстеження на туберкульоз слід провести протягом 90 днів після прибуття до Сполучених Штатів. Зателефонуйте в будь-який протитуберкульозний диспансер, зазначений в таблиці, щоб записатися на прийом. Повідомте співробітнику клініки своє ім’я, дату народження, контактну інформацію та день прибуття до Сполучених Штатів Америки. Після цього співробітник клініки призначить вам прийом.  

 

Contact Information

Contact a TB clinic with questions about clinical services for TB infection or TB disease (e.g., appointments, medical records). See the table above for TB clinic contact information. Other questions can be directed to the Tuberculosis Elimination and Control Branch. You can reach the Tuberculosis Elimination and Control Branch at tuberculosis@delaware.gov or by calling 302-744-4990 during normal business hours.

 

Resources for the Public

Resources for Health Care Providers 

 

Provider TB FAQ

 

Medical Consultation 

Delaware Health Alert Notifications 

TB Education 

TB Guidelines 

Factsheets 

 

 

Data and Reports 

 

The tables below show the incidence of TB disease and the number of cases of TB disease in Delaware for 2013 through 2023. The 2025 national target for the incidence of TB disease is 1.3 cases per 100,000 people.

 

TB Disease Incidence Rate1, 2, 2013-2023

 Year

   United States

Delaware, statewide

Kent County

New Castle County

Sussex County
2023 2.8 2.1 4.3 1.2 2.3
2022 2.5 1.3 2.2 1.0 1.2
2021 2.4 4.13 8.13 4.53 0.0
2020 2.2 1.7 2.2 1.4 2.1
2019 2.7 2.0 4.4 0.4 3.8
2018 2.7 2.2 3.4 1.6 2.6
2017 2.8 1.6 2.8 1.3 1.3
2016 2.9 1.7 0.6 2.3 0.9
2015 3.0 2.2 1.2 3.1 0.9
2014 2.9 2.3 1.7 2.4 2.4
2013 3.0 1.9 3.0 1.6 1.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  TB Disease Case Counts by County, 2013-2023          

  Year           Delaware, statewide         Kent County       New Castle County   Sussex County
2023 21 8 7 6
2022 13 4 6 3
2021 413 153 263 0
2020 17 4 8 5
2019 19 8 2 9
2018 21 6 9 6
2017 15 5 7 3
2016 16 1 13 2
2015 21 2 17 2
2014 21 3 13 5
2013 18 5 9 4

1 Incidence rates should be interpreted with caution when the number of cases is low. Incidence rates calculated from small numbers can vary year to year and may not represent the true burden of disease. County-specific incidence rates of TB disease in Delaware can be unstable. The statewide incidence of TB disease in Delaware is more stable.  

2 Incidence rates are the number of confirmed cases of TB disease divided by the population during that year, multiplied by 100,000. Data for the U.S. Census Bureau population estimates from July 1, 2022, were used to calculate county incidence rates for 2023. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/newcastlecountydelaware

3 Incidence and cases of TB disease in Delaware increased from 2020 to 2021. The increase was attributed mainly to an outbreak of TB disease linked to contaminated bone graft product used in spinal surgery (more information is available here).  

 

 

Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology

24/7 Emergency Contact Number: 1-888-295-5156

Return to Infectious Disease Home Page


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