FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2013

Contact: Communications Office
(850) 245-4111

TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Health (DOH) announced today preliminary results of its aggressive 2012 Tuberculosis (TB) investigation among homeless individuals in Duval County. The Department successfully located nearly 1,600 of the 2,100 individuals exposed to 40 active cases of TB strain FL0046 in 2010 and 2011, and adhered to all recommendations in the April 2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Throughout the course of the investigation last year, the Department identified 30 individuals with FL0046, a fully treatable strain of TB. This remains the same number as those identified with strain FL0046 in 2011.

"The Department remains committed to the goal of eliminating tuberculosis in Duval County and across Florida," said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. "Our work continues each day to identify and treat those who may have the TB germ so that we protect communities, prevent latent tuberculosis progression, and assure the cure for those with active tuberculosis."

In Duval, more than 90 percent of contacts at highest risk for developing active TB, were located, and nearly 77 percent of contacts at much lower risk for developing active TB, were found. The Department continues to work on locating remaining contacts in Florida and in other states. Additionally, provisional statewide data show that tuberculosis rates continue to decline, from 753 cases in 2011 to 625 in 2012.

Through collaborative surveillance efforts, state and county partners have found and tested 4,084 individuals in Duval County, predominantly in the homeless community, since July 2012. Of these, 476 were found to have the inactive (latent) form of TB, and DOH is providing preventive antibiotic treatment to those affected; only six (<<1%) were found to have active TB and are currently being treated.

Eighty-six total cases of TB were identified in Duval County in 2012, including FL0046, compared with 71 in 2011. This difference reflects the intense TB testing and containment efforts in Duval County by the Department of Health. More than 7,000 TB tests were done in 2012, more than twice the number of TB tests in 2011.

The Department will continue its aggressive surveillance efforts and will begin retesting any individuals who had a negative test last year to ensure that they remain disease free. A full report with case counts for 2012 will be available in February. For more information about tuberculosis and Florida's Tuberculosis System of Care, visit www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/tuberculosis/index.html.

DOH protects, promotes and improves the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For news story ideas, interviews, videos and more from DOH Communications visit the DOH Online Newsroom.