DHHS: 2 More People With TB In Manchester & Nashua, Encourages Testing If You Were At Certain Places

By NH DHHS, InDepth NH

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has identified two people with tuberculosis (TB) who were in Manchester and Nashua while infectious.

These individuals are the second and third people diagnosed with active TB in the greater Manchester and Nashua areas since March, when DHHS identified a person with TB in Manchester.

DHHS is working with the City of Manchester Health Department, the City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services, and community partners to identify people who may have been exposed and contact them directly to discuss TB testing. However, the people with TB were at several public locations in Manchester where it might not be possible to identify everyone who was exposed.

As a result, DHHS is encouraging anyone who was at the following locations during the listed dates and times to contact their primary care provider for TB testing.

• 1269 Cafe, 456 Union St. in Manchester, Jan. 1 to March 1.

• "Loads of Love" event at Wash Street Laundromat, 1231 Elm St. in Manchester, Jan. 1 to July 17, Monday and Thursday nights from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

• Hillsborough County Department of Corrections, 445 Willow St. in Manchester, April 16 to April 25 and May 9 to Aug. 15

Anyone without a primary care provider can call 211 to get connected to care. Free TB testing is also available at the following locations:

• Manchester Health Department (MHD), 1528 Elm St., Manchester. Call 603-624-6466 to schedule an appointment

• MHD Outreach Van, Pearl Street Parking Lot, 45 Orange Street, Manchester. Wednesdays from 9 a.m. and noon through Oct. 29
• Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services, 18 Mulberry St., Nashua. Call 603-589-4512 and choose option 2 to schedule an appointment

“While there’s a low risk that someone who is exposed to TB gets sick, we are recommending that people who were at one of these locations during the listed time frames get screened for TB,” said Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot. “Getting tested can prevent serious illness and the further spread of TB.”

TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which typically infect the lungs. The bacteria spread through the air when a person with infectious TB coughs or sneezes. Most people who have TB bacteria in their body will not develop symptoms right away. However, the bacteria can start multiplying later in life, causing illness that can spread to other people.

Testing is the only way for people to know if they have TB bacteria in their body and need treatment to prevent illness. Symptoms of active TB disease include a persistent cough that can last for weeks or longer, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, and fever. Anyone who might have been exposed to TB and develops these symptoms should contact DHHS at 603-271-4496 as soon as possible.

Over the last 10 years, an average of 12 people have been diagnosed with active TB in New Hampshire annually, and DHHS initiates a disease investigation for each one. There are several factors that can increase someone’s risk of TB, including living in large group settings like homeless and emergency shelters, transitional housing, and correctional facilities.

For more information about TB, please visit the DHHS TB webpage. Anyone with concerns or questions about their TB risk can call DHHS at 603-271-4496.

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.