March 24, 2005

Contacts:
Andy Weisser, (818) 703-6444, aweisser@earthlink.net
www.californialung.org
or your local American Lung Association at (800) LUNG-USA.

Although Statewide and Nationwide TB Cases Decrease, More Cases Seen in 14 Local California Areas

American Lung Association of California Cautions Against Relaxing Prevention Efforts on World Stop TB Day, March 24

Editors Note: County-specific tuberculosis statistics are available through the American Lung Association of California’s web site, www.californialung.org effective March 24 and/or by contacting the American Lung Association at the above numbers.

Related news conferences will be held as follows:

San Francisco: 10 a.m., March 24, Tenderloin AIDS Resource Center, 187 Golden Gate Ave., Contact: Eileen Shields, 415.554.2507.

San Jose: 11:30 a.m., March 24, Santa Clara County Medical Association, 700 Empey Way, Contact: Dave Low, 408.998.5864.

(EMBARGOED: Oakland, CA, March 24, 2005) Although tuberculosis (TB) cases dropped 3.3 percent nationwide (2003 compared to 2004), and 7.4 percent in California, increases were experienced in 14 local California areas. As public health advocates worldwide prepare to mark March 24 as World Stop TB Day, the American Lung Association of California calls on the State of California to avert a resurgence of tuberculosis in this state by increasing funding for tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control efforts.

An estimated 3.6 million Californians are infected with the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. Most of those who are infected don’t know it, because their infection is “latent” or sleeping, and doesn’t make them or others sick. But if and when it wakes, TB can kill them if it is not treated. If the infected Californians are not located and treated, 145,000 of them may develop “active” TB in their lifetime. Once active, TB in the lungs makes the person sick and infectious.

California continues to report the highest number of TB cases in the United States. Case increases were experienced last year in El Dorado, Humboldt, Imperial, Lake, Napa, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne and Yuba.

In the previous year, Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Fresno, Glenn, Lake, Long Beach, Madera, Marin, Monterey, Nevada, Orange, Pasadena, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Tehama, Ventura and Yolo experienced case increases.

The rate of TB in California decreased slightly to 8.2 cases per 100,000 residents (from 8.9 last year). There were 2,988 cases of TB reported in the state in 2004, a 7.4 percent decrease compared to 3,227 cases reported in 2003. California is far from the national 2010 objective of one TB case per 100,000. After a resurgence of TB in the late 1980s, the public health network was renewed and cases declined from the 5,382 reported at the height of the California epidemic in 1992 until 2001.

 “More than 100 years after the American Lung Association was formed out of public health necessity to control TB, the battle is still not won,” said Barbara Cole, RN, MSN, PHN, a volunteer board member of the American Lung Association of California and chair of its Tuberculosis Technical Advisory Group. “There is a direct cause and effect correlation: When government makes it a priority and funds the necessary control efforts, TB rates decline, and California becomes a healthier state” she added. “When the government does not make this investment in public health and prevention, we experience a resurgence. The American Lung Association of California, along with others, continues to advocate to maintain the crucial state TB prevention and control budget.”

Historical state and federal government budget cuts resulted when it was perceived that TB was no longer a threat. This lead to TB disease resurgence throughout California in the late 1980’s. Funding was increased and a steady decline of TB rates from 1993 to 2000 resulted. Now, however, state funding is in jeopardy again.

In fiscal year 2001-2002, $400,000 was cut from the State TB Control Local Assistance Budget. These cuts have not been restored and these and other potential future cuts could inhibit the ability to evaluate exposed individuals in a timely manner, which could result in more people progressing to active TB.

While acknowledging that California is facing a serious budget shortfall, the American Lung Association of California believes that delaying the restoration of these important local TB funds may put the state at risk for enormous future health expenditures should a serious TB outbreak occur.

TB is transmitted through the air when an individual with active TB in the lungs coughs or talks. It takes six months or more for appropriate medications to cure active TB disease. Anyone inhaling air containing the TB bacteria may become infected. Patients with latent TB infection can be treated to prevent progression to active TB disease.

Inappropriate or incomplete therapy can lead to TB patients developing and spreading strains of multidrug resistant TB, which means the germs are resistant to the best available drugs. Multidrug resistant TB can be untreatable and has been listed by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a possible lower-risk biological weapon. Each year in California, there are approximately 80 multidrug resistant TB patients undergoing treatment.

TB is a preventable, treatable disease. However, TB has reached epidemic levels worldwide. An estimated one-third of the world’s population (2 billion people) carry latent TB infection. Each year, approximately 8 million new cases occur and nearly 2 million people die from the disease globally. TB is the leading cause of death for people with AIDS and the leading cause of maternal mortality.

For 100 years, the American Lung Association has been the lead organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is “Improving life, one breath at a time.” For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1.800.LUNG.USA (1.800.586.4872) or visit www.californialung.org or www.lungusa.org.call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.californialung.org.