{"id":10292,"date":"2025-03-01T14:07:31","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T19:07:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/dhan319a\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T00:52:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T05:52:21","slug":"dhan319a","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/php\/alerts\/dhan319a\/","title":{"rendered":"php\/alerts\/dhan319a ~  Division of Public Health &#8212; Health Alert  &#8211; Delaware Health and Social Services &#8211; State of Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-swiftype-index=\"true\">\n\n\n\n  <br>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"container\" id=\"main_header\"> \n\n    <!-- BEGIN readspeaker div -->\n\n    <div class=\"rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve\" id=\"readspeaker_button1\">\n\n      <a accesskey=\"L\" class=\"rsbtn_play\" href=\"https:\/\/app-na.readspeaker.com\/cgi-bin\/rsent?customerid=7262&#038;lang=en_us&#038;readid=main_content&#038;url=https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/php\/alerts\/dhan319a.html\" title=\"Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker\">\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_left rsimg rspart\"><span class=\"rsbtn_text\"><span>Listen<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart\"><\/span>\n\n      <\/a>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- END readspeaker div -->\n\n\n\n    \n\n    <header class=\"pull-left\">\n\n      <h1>Delaware Health Alert Network #<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Number\"]-->319a <!--[END]--> <\/h1>\n\n      <h2> <!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Date\"]-->March 14, 2014 4:04 pm <!--[END]--> <\/h2>\n\n    <\/header>\n\n  <\/div><br>\n\n \n\n  <div class=\"container\">\n\n    <div class=\"row\">\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-3\" id=\"leftCol\">\n\n        <div class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\">\n\n          <div class=\"panel sectionmenu_panel\">\n\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\">\n\n              <p class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"agency_nav\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseOne\"><strong><i class=\"fa fa-align-justify fa-fw\"><\/i> Public Health Menu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" id=\"collapseOne\">\n\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" id=\"clf_nav\">\n\n                  <ul class=\"nav nav-stacked nav-pills-clf\" id=\"agency_sidebar\">\n    <li><a href=\"\/dph\/\"><h2>Home <i class=\"fa fa-home fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a><\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#agency_sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#HomeMenu\"><h2>About <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"HomeMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/about.html\">About DPH<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/sections.html\">Sections &#038; Programs<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ofclocations.html\">Office Locations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/contact.html\">Contact Info<\/a><\/li>\n      \n        <li><a href=\"\/calendars.html\" target=\"_blank\">Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#ServicesMenu\"><h2>Services <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"ServicesMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesaz.html\">A-Z Services<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/environmental.html\">Air &#038; Water Quality<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ss\/vitalstats.html\">Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/clinics.html\">Clinics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthdatastats.html\">Health Data &#038; Statistics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/emsps.html\">Emergency Preparedness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthandwellness.html\">Health &#038; Wellness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthyhomes.html\">Healthy Homes<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthywp.html\">Healthy Workplaces<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/labs.html\">Laboratory<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/feir.html\">Restaurant Inspections<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/screen.html\">Screening and Testing<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/chca\/dphwichominf01.html\">WIC<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesadd.html\">Additional Services<\/a><\/li><li>\n      <\/li><\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#InformationMenu\"><h2>Information <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n        <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"InformationMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/factsheetsaz.html\">A-Z Fact Sheets<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/pubreportsaz.html\">A-Z Publications &#038; Reports<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/diseasesandconditions.html\">Diseases &#038; Conditions<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/faq.html\">FAQ&#8217;s<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/alerts.html\">Health Alerts<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthylifestyles.html\">Healthy Lifestyles<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hipaa.html\">HIPAA<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/regs.html\">Regulations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/forms.html\">Request Forms<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/links.html\">Links &#038; Resources<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"http:\/\/delaware.gov\/help\/foia_request.shtml\">FOIA Request Form<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a id=\"SocialMenuHeader\"><h2>Connect <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-o-up fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul id=\"SocialMenu\">\n        <li class=\"facebook\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DEPublicHealth\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Division of Public Health Facebook Page\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Delaware_DHSS\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Delaware Health and Social Services Twitter Account\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n        <!-- <li class=\"googleplus\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-google-plus-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Google +<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"flickr\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-flickr fa-lg\"><\/i> Flickr<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"youtube\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-youtube-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Youtube<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"instagram\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-instagram fa-lg\"><\/i> Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"linkedin\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Linkedin<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"pinterest\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-pinterest-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Pinterest<\/a><\/li> -->\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n\n        <\/div><br>\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-9\" id=\"main_content\"> \n\n  \n\n<h2 class=\"center\">Health\n\n<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHANType\"]-->\n\n\n\n   Advisory<!--[END]-->\n\n<br>\n\n<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Heading\"]-->\n\n\n\nACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS IN DELAWARE<!--[END]-->\n\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<!--[type=HTMLEDIT name=\"Content\"]-->\n\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Summary\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Since the beginning of February 2014, several cases of active tuberculosis (TB) have been diagnosed in Delaware. Of these, three cases\n\n\n  were in a highly infectious stage of the disease and diagnosis should have been made months earlier, when the individuals first become\n\n\n  symptomatic. \u00a0Earlier diagnosis is vital as it significantly reduces the chance for potential exposures and possible transmission of\n\n\n  the disease to healthcare providers and visitors\/patients to healthcare facilities, as well as the general public.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Although Delaware has enjoyed a low incidence of TB for many years, the Division of Public Health wishes to remind health care providers\n\n\n  that TB continues to be a threat, and urges providers to consider TB when evaluating patients.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Active TB is a legally reportable illness in Delaware. To report a case of active TB, please contact the TB Clinic in your county. Phone\n\n\n  numbers are provided below under \u201cAdditional Information\u201d.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Background\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<h4>\n\n\n  Risk Factors for Tuberculosis\n\n\n<\/h4>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  TB should be considered early if individuals in the following categories present with a compatible clinical picture. (Note: this is not\n\n\n  an exhaustive list, for further information visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/tb\">www.cdc.gov\/tb<\/a>.)\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>Close contacts (household members, family) of \u00a0individuals with active pulmonary or laryngeal TB disease;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Persons infected with HIV;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Foreign-born individuals from highly endemic countries (For list of endemic countries, see link under \u201cReferences\u201d);\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>US-born individuals who have travelled or lived for one month or longer in highly endemic countries;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Those who abuse illicit drugs or alcohol;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Persons residing in congregate living situations, including but not limited to homeless shelters, prisons, and nursing homes;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Persons with other immune-compromising health issues, including those with a history of long-term use of medications such as high\n\n\n  dose steroids and TNF-alpha Inhibitors;\u00a0 those receiving cancer chemotherapy; and\/or those with chronic diseases such as diabetes;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Chronically underweight individuals (10% of more below recommended weight), or those who have undergone gastric bypass surgery.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h4>\n\n\n  Symptoms of Active TB\n\n\n<\/h4>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>Chronic, non-remitting cough lasting more than two weeks\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Fever, night sweats, chills\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Fatigue or weakness\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Unintended weight loss\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Abnormal chest x-ray; especially (but not limited to) upper-lobe abnormalities. These may include presence of cavities,\n\n\n  consolidation, pleural effusion, hilar adenopathy, and nodules.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Whenever TB is considered on the differential diagnosis for a patient based on a clinically compatible picture (signs, symptoms,\n\n\n  radiology), such patients should be placed in an Airborne Infection Isolation room (AII) pending exclusion of TB. \u00a0Providers are\n\n\n  reminded that pre-emptive placement of such patients in airborne isolation is safer and less time consuming in the long term for staff\n\n\n  and patients than is retroactively locating, testing, and treating infected individuals after TB exposure has occurred.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h4>\n\n\n  Treatment\/Next Steps\n\n\n<\/h4>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  The vast majority of active TB is treated by specialists in DPH\u2019s three TB Clinics, and individuals should be referred to them,\n\n\n  unless patient condition indicates immediate hospitalization is necessary. If this is the case the TB clinics should be notified of the\n\n\n  patient\u2019s diagnosis as soon as possible and while the patient is still in the hospital. The TB Clinics\u2019 referral numbers are\n\n\n  listed below. Treatment of culture-positive cases should always be based on the results of drug sensitivity testing.\u00a0 Drug-sensitive\n\n\n  TB is generally treated with a combination of 4 medications given by directly observed therapy (DOT) over a period of several months. DOT\n\n\n  is legislated in Delaware for all active TB cases.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h4>\n\n\n  For Patient Referrals or Additional Information:\n\n\n<\/h4>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>Delaware Division of Public Health TB Elimination Program (302) 744-1050.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>DPH TB Clinics by County:\n\n\n    <ul>\n\n\n      <li>New Castle: (302) 283-7588\n\n\n      <\/li>\n\n\n      <li>Kent (302) 857-5130\n\n\n      <\/li>\n\n\n      <li>Sussex (302) 856-5119.\n\n\n      <\/li>\n\n\n    <\/ul>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h4>\n\n\n  References:\n\n\n<\/h4>\n\n\n<ol>\n\n\n  <li>CDC Division of TB Elimination:\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/tb\">www.cdc.gov\/tb<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>List of TB endemic countries <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mass.gov\/eohhs\/docs\/dph\/cdc\/tb\/endemic-country-list.pdf\">http:\/\/www.mass.gov\/eohhs\/docs\/dph\/cdc\/tb\/endemic-country-list.pdf<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  ************************************\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  You are receiving this email because you are a registered member of the Delaware Health Alert Network. If you are not a member and would\n\n\n  like to subscribe, please register at <a href=\"https:\/\/healthalertde.org\">https:\/\/healthalertde.org<\/a>\n\n\n<\/p><br>\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n<p class=\"smalltext\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Download Adobe Acrobat Reader\" height=\"21\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/dhss\/img\/getacro60.gif\" width=\"60\"><\/a> Please note: Some of the files available on this page are in Adobe PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.  A free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded directly from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\">Adobe <\/a>. If you are using an assistive technology unable to read Adobe PDF, please either view the corresponding text only version (if available) or visit Adobe&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/access.adobe.com\">Accessibility Tools page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--[END]-->\n\n  \n\n        <div class=\"panel panel-danger\">\n\n          <div class=\"panel-heading\">    \n\n      <h2>Categories of Health Alert messages:<\/h2>\n\n       <\/div>\n\n       <div class=\"panel-body\">\n\n      <ul>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Alert:<\/strong> Conveys the highest level of importance; warrants immediate action or attention.<\/li>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Advisory:<\/strong> Provides important information for a specific incident or situation; may not require immediate action.<\/li>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Update:<\/strong> Provides updated information regarding an incident or situation; unlikely to require immediate action.<\/li>\n\n            <\/ul>\n\n         <div><strong>NOTE: This page is for informational purposes only and dated material (e.g. temporary websites) may not be available.<\/strong><\/div>\n\n          <\/div> \n\n        <\/div><br>  \n\n\n\n      <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><!-- \/container -->\n\n  <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen Delaware Health Alert Network #319a March 14, 2014 4:04 pm Public Health Menu Home About About DPH Sections &#038; Programs Office Locations Contact Info Calendar Services A-Z Services Air &#038; Water Quality Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records Clinics Health Data &#038; Statistics Emergency Preparedness Health &#038; Wellness Healthy Homes Healthy Workplaces Laboratory Restaurant Inspections [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":9294,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10292","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10292"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11468,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10292\/revisions\/11468"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}