News Briefs Two More Duluth, Minn., Residents Test Positive for TBJanuary 16, 2003 Two more Duluth-area residents have tested positive for TB
but neither was a patient of Dr. Okechukwu Iwu, who developed an
active form of the disease in November while practicing at St.
Mary's and Miller-Dwan hospitals, health officials said. The
cases bring to three the number of people who have tested
positive for the disease. So far, tests on 41 of the 56 patients
who have been advised to be tested have been negative, said Doug
Schultz, department spokesperson. However, because only one of
those three had a negative TB test before Iwu became active, it
is the only transmission that can directly be linked to him. "We
cannot rule out that the other two were infected before," Schultz
said. "We do not know if they were infected 20 years ago."
Adapted from:Star Tribune (Minneapolis) 01.16.03; Glenn Howatt This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
|