County investigating turberculosis case

Grant County Health District reported this week that officials there are investigating what might be a single case of tuberculosis.

The person in question was treated in several health care facilities in Grant County during the course of the illness. Officials at the county said it is the lone case now being investigated.

Health officials have found some 200 persons, residing in Grant, Lincoln and Adams counties, who have been in contact with the person.

All have been contacted by Grant County health officials and are being monitored for possible signs of infection.

Officials stated that after a person with a healthy immune system breathes in TB bacteria, he or she will have a 10-percent lifetime chance of developing tuberculosis. If the person’s immune system becomes compromised, the bacteria will begin to multiply. The bacteria can move through the bloodstream to other parts of the body.

Some of the symptoms of the disease include a cough lasting more than three weeks, a fever and night sweats, unintentional weight loss and loss of appetite, fatigue and chest pain, and blood in the sputum.

If you have symptoms of TB, the Health District states, you should discuss this with your healthcare provider, or speak with a Public Health nurse at (509) 766-7960.