Tuberculosis outbreak at Chicago migrant shelters sparks urgent contact tracing as officials say a FIFTH of Latin American arrivals carry the disease

Tuberculosis outbreak at Chicago migrant shelters sparks urgent contact tracing as officials say a FIFTH of Latin American arrivals carry the disease

ALEXA CIMINO 

Tuberculosis cases have been detected at migrant facilities in Chicago following a recent measles outbreak in the city's shelters, sparking health officials to urgently start contact tracing.

The Chicago Department of Public Health did not disclose the exact number of cases or which shelter it originated from but confirmed that 'a small number of cases' were reported 'in a few different shelters' around the city.

'These outbreaks happen in close quarters, people who are living close to one another,' associate professor of medicine, Infectious Diseases and Global Health at the University of Chicago Dr. Aniruddha Hazra told Fox 32 Chicago.

Hazra said the situation is concerning, but that the public does not need to panic. 

This comes as Chicago has documented 55 measles cases in the city, a majority of the cases being reported in the Pilsen migrant shelter.

While measles can be prevented with vaccines, Hazra said TB cannot. 

However, CDPH said TB can be treated with antibiotics, and that it is not particularly contagious. In fact, for someone to catch TB, they have to been in prolonged close contact with an individual with TB.

'TB is not a novel or rarely seen illness in Chicago, as the Chicago Department of Public Health typically expects to see between 100-150 cases of tuberculosis in Chicago residents in an average year,' a statement from CDPH statement reads. 

'We will continue to offer treatment to individuals as necessary and take the proper precautions to eliminate spread, but we do not consider this a matter presenting a substantial threat to the public.' 

According to CDPH, between 10 percent and 20 percent of people living in Central and South America have latent tuberculosis (TB), an infection that is asymptomatic and not spread to other people. However, you will still test positive for TB even if you are not exhibiting symptoms.

'Not everyone who acquires TB will develop an active infection. A percentage or folks will actually develop what we call a latent infection. But that latent TB can then reactivate to become active TB at some point in the future,' said Hazra. 

'They can still receive anti-TB therapy to make sure that latent infection is fully eradicated.'