The Alabama Department of Health said it is testing people in four counties after seven confirmed and suspected cases of tuberculosis were found there. File Photo by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
July 31 (UPI) — Alabama health officials are testing for tuberculosis in four counties after seven confirmed and suspected cases have been identified among people working in poultry plants in those areas. The Alabama Department of Public Health is targeting Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence and Lauderdale counties for the disease, also commonly known as TB. Advertisement
On Monday, the department urged poultry workers in the region to be tested.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which usually attacks the lungs. The TB bacteria, though, can attack any part of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain, and it can be fatal.
Alabama poultry workers’ rise in tuberculosis cases prompts call for testing
