Camden County resident isolated after testing positive for TB, officials say

A resident in Camden County, New Jersey, has tested positive for Tuberculosis, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Officials said that the resident showed up to a local hospital suffering from symptoms of the disease on Feb. 12 and test results came back as positive for TB.

The patient was placed into isolation and is receiving treatment, officials explained.

“This is a continuing investigation and we are actively working with the New Jersey Department of Health to identify individuals who may have been exposed,” Commissioner Jennifer Cooley Fleisher said. “The individual’s household members are in the process of being tested for TB, at this time, no household members or close contacts have presented with TB associated symptoms.”

Health officials said that Tuberculosis is spread between people through the air and is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

While TB usually grows in the lungs, it can also affect other parts of the body.

Symptoms of active TB in the lungs:

• A bad cough that lasts for three weeks or more
• Pain the chest
• Coughing up blood or phlegm from deep in the lungs

Other symptoms of active TB include:

• Weakness or fatigue
• Weight loss
• No appetite
• Chills
• Fever
• Sweating at night

Some symptoms of active TB in other parts of the body may include:

• TB disease of the lymph nodes may cause a firm red or purple swelling under the skin
• TB disease of the kidney may cause blood in the urine
• TB disease of the brain may cause headache or confusion
• TB disease of the spine may cause back pain
• TB disease of the larynx may cause hoarseness