March 24 Proclaimed World TB Day in Hays County

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – The Hays County Commissioners Court proclaimed Thursday, March 24, as World TB Day in Hays County to recognize the continuing threat that the highly contagious Mycobacterium Tuberculosis causes throughout the world, including Hays County. In 2014 nearly 1,300 Texas residents were diagnosed with TB, including two in Hays County and fifty-three from counties that border Hays County.

TB is easily spread through the air when a person with an active case of the disease coughs or sneezes. While easily treatable, if left untreated it typically results in death.

It is estimated that more than one million Texas residents are infected with the bacterium and though not currently contagious have at least a 10 percent lifetime risk of developing active disease if not treated preventively. Throughout the globe, 9.6 million new, active cases in 2014 caused 1.5 million deaths worldwide – 9,421 of those were people living in the United States.

Also of concern is a TB strain that is multi-drug resistant that was diagnosed in seven residents of Texas in 2014.

Hays County actively works to reduce the threat of TB through the Hays County Local Health Department TB Program, and has a dedicated registered nurse and a medical assistant who assist in ensuring that persons diagnosed with TB get the proper treatment to prevent the spread of the disease. The usual symptoms of active TB disease include:

A cough lasting more than a few weeks or a cough with blood

Loss of appetite and weight loss without dieting

Unexplained fever/chills

Drenching night sweats

Extreme tiredness

Swelling in lymph nodes

Continual hoarseness

If you suspect that you or someone you know might be infected with TB, contact the Hays County Local Health Department to discuss testing and treatment at 512-393-5569. Visit

http://www.co.hays.tx.us/tuberculosis.aspx for more information about active and latent TB.