ALABAMA HEALTH - VOLUME 36 NUMBER 9 MAY 2003 - Update emphasizes the need to eliminate TB

Aug 27, 2026

ALABAMA HEALTH (Volume 36, Number 9, May 2003) reports on a statewide update for tuberculosis (TB) control, highlighting the priority of eliminating TB and strengthening prevention through coordinated contact investigations. The update presents outcomes such as a 52% decline in cases and credits directly observed therapy, while also addressing policy and risk issues including confidentiality, incarceration, and liability. It underscores ongoing global and U.S. burdens, calls for sustained public awareness, and lists practical actions for physicians, laboratories, providers, and health department staff.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Update emphasizes the need to eliminate TB

Statewide TB Control Update (March 20-21)

Progress and contributing factors

Confidentiality, incarceration and liability

Historical perspective on TB

Closing remarks and elimination goal

Global and U.S. burden (World TB Day)

Prevention, at-risk groups, and ongoing outbreaks

Action steps for clinicians, labs, and health departments

ALABAMA’S A PUBLICATION OF THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HEALTH VOLUME 36 NUMBER 9 MAY 2003 Update emphasizes the need to eliminate TB ombating tuberculosis is important for the bottom line. That’s the word Alabama industries need to hear. Members of a panel discussing TB contact investigations emphasized this and other recommendations at the Division of TB Control’s statewide update March 20-21 in Montgomery. Tate Gatlin, safety director of an Alabama poultry processing plant, said his company is fully acquainted with the disease, and with the influx of foreign workers, the company now requires pre-employment skin tests. Also addressing their experiences with TB contact investigations in a panel moderated by Jim McVay, Dr.P.A, were Gladys Deese, warden of Julia Tutwiler Correctional Facility; and Greg Walker, media relations director for Spring Hill College. Tuberculosis control is a core public health program, one which has achieved a 52 percent reduction in the past 10 years from 487 cases in 1993 to 233 in 2002. This success has been felt nearly equally in both white and African American communities. An important contributing factor to this decline in morbidity is Alabama’s commitment to directly observed therapy. Dr. Charles Woernle, assistant state health officer for disease control and prevention, stated,“Given the compelling link between the decline of morbidity and the services you provide in the field, I would like to reiterate something that Dr. Williamson said–that we remain committed to providing medication for all TB patients and resources for DOT.” Greg Locklier, J.D., assistant general counsel, made a presentation on confidentiality, incarceration and liability. The major areas he discussed included records and information, involuntary commitment/incarceration, liability issues, policies such as HIPAA, and the need to provide complete and consistent documentation. Dr. John Bass, chairman of medicine at the University of South Alabama Medical School, delivered a presentation titled,“Voodoo, Vampires and TB.” He listed the many individuals throughout history from Cardinal Richelieu to Eleanor Roosevelt who have died from TBand recounted a history of how TB has affected mankind as evidenced in Egyptian mummies, to Hippocrates, to Anton Chekhov, to Walker Percy, to Vivien Leigh. Nancy Brook, TB Division director, said in her closing remarks,“We lead the Southeast in TB control, but despite our success we have gaps and opportunity. With the help of our community partners, we can make our goal of eliminating TB. Now is the time to think of TB elimination.” The National Coalition for Elimination of Tuberculosis stated the following in a news release marking World Tuberculosis Day, March 24: Globally there are almost 8 million new TB cases annually with over 2 million deaths each year. Over 80 percent of the world’s TB cases occur in just 22 countries. In the United States, there has been a 5.7 percent decrease in tuberculosis cases for 2002, as reported by the CDC. This decline is a stark difference from the late 1980’sand early 1990’s when there was a national resurgence of tuberculosis accompanied by outbreaks of deadly drugresistant TB. A major cause for the TB resurgence was a deterioration of TB control programs in many parts of the Update continued on page 2 Update......................................continued from page 1 nation. NCET, through coalition and partner efforts, secured the necessary support that reestablished control of the disease in the mid-1990s. Coalition members are concerned that the national interest in TB has begun to wane in recent years. There is legitimate concern that public awareness of the problem may be diminishing and that communities may again dismantle their control efforts because of the fading concern and growing budget problems faced by many state and local governments. NCET believes we must never again allow a resurgence of TB

FAQs

What does the May 2003 update emphasize about TB control in Alabama?

It emphasizes the need to eliminate tuberculosis by sustaining prevention and control efforts, including effective contact investigations and community partnership support.

Which factors contributed to Alabama’s TB case decline over the prior decade?

The update credits a 52% reduction in cases and points to Alabama’s commitment to directly observed therapy as an important contributing factor.

What actions are recommended for preventing and controlling TB in the United States?

The document calls for physicians to suspect TB when symptoms appear, laboratories to identify TB, quality care for active and latent TB, and health department staff to ensure treatment adherence and coordination with medical providers.

Aug 27, 2026

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