SAFFORD — Graham County Health Director Brian Douglas said tuberculosis cases are increasing in Graham County.
“Especially with latent TB. Latent TB is, if they have been diagnosed, they have no symptoms and they unable to spread infection. But if it’s untreated, it can become infectious,” Douglas said.
On Monday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a contract with Dr. Matthew Sampson to serve as the county’s tuberculosis control physician, for payment of $500 per quarter.
Under the terms of the contract, Sampson will “provide clinical evaluation, order and interpret laboratory and x-ray diagnostic services to each case or suspected case of tuberculosis as medically indicated. Develop a treatment/prophylaxis plan for each case or suspected case as medically indicated. Implement treatment/prophylaxis and monitor the progress of the patient in accordance with the treatment plan.”
Graham County, at 2.52 cases per 100,000 population in 2023, exceeds the national incidence rate. Yuma County has the worst rate in the state, at 11.67 cases per 100,000 population.
Tuberculosis affects the lungs and is spread person-to-person, generally through uncovered coughing or sneezing. According to the CDC, symptoms of active tuberculosis disease include cough, chest pain, and coughing up blood.
In 2023, the World Health Organization reported tuberculosis was the second-leading infectious cause of death, behind COVID-19, with 1.3 million people worldwide dying from TB. However, both active and inactive tuberculosis are treatable.
.jpg)