SHAWANO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – The health officer in Shawano County says one person is being treated and monitored for tuberculosis.
FOX 11 reports that Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department officer Jamie Bodden confirmed the active case on Monday. Bodden said, “The department is currently addressing one active case of tuberculosis in the Tigerton area.”
A community meeting is being held on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Tigerton Community Center to educate the public about tuberculosis. They will also provide further information as necessary.
Bodden and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services say steps are being taken to track down those who may have been exposed and possibly infected.
Health experts say cases are usually quarantined and treated at a person’s home. There are about 50 tuberculosis – or TB – cases each year in the state.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It can be spread through air by coughing, sneezing, speaking or even singing.
Close and repeated contact with an infected person is usually needed to spread TB to someone else. Symptoms can be similar to that of a common cold, including bad cough, fever – but also includes chest pain and coughing of blood. If left untreated, TB can be fatal. According to the CDC, it was once the leading cause of death in the United States.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says this active case is not believed to be associated with a previous case in Shawano County earlier this year.
