KANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary
For Immediate Release
Contact: Don Brown, 785-296-1529
KDHE Addresses Tuberculosis Concerns in Seward County
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has been made aware of five positive skin test results from routine tuberculosis screening in Seward County. While these results indicate a need for the tested individuals to seek additional medical consultation, they do not indicate a health risk exists for other residents in the Seward County area.
KDHE infectious disease experts report that, on average, two out of three positive TB skin test results in a population where tuberculosis is rare (like in Kansas) turn out to be false positives. Furthermore, a positive skin test only indicates that a person may have been infected with tuberculosis. It does not indicate the presence of active disease, which is the stage of disease that can be transmitted to other individuals.
"The individuals who test positive to this particular screening do not have active tuberculosis and cannot infect other individuals," said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, State Epidemiologist. "In fact, it is quite possible that these people are not infected themselves."
KDHE is not aware of any case of active or infectious tuberculosis in Seward county. The five individuals with initial positive tests have been advised to consult their health care professionals for additional evaluation. KDHE will cooperate with the Seward County Health Department and area health care professionals on current and future surveillance efforts.
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