Leon County Health Department 

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Private physicians can take advantage of the following services offered by the Leon County TB Control Program.

• Educate patients
• Monitor TB patients and contacts from diagnosis until cure
• Identify contacts and perform tuberculin skin testing when necessary
• Directly Observed Therapy.

    In addition to clinical consultation, the program provides the following services.

• Referrals
• TB Exposure Control
• Educational Presentations
• Community Based Programs
• Outreach Programs
• Refugee Health Assessment Program

    TB Control Program also provides expert consultation which is often essential for special medical situations such as drug-resistant TB, pregnancy, TB meningitis, and renal failure. You can obtain expert medical consultant by calling the Florida TB Physician’s Consultation Network 1-800-4TB-INFO.

 
    Treating physicians may contact the Leon County Health Department (Leon CHD)/TB Control Program to report a case or obtain information on TB patients. By law, suspected or confirmed TB case must be reported to the TB Control Program within 72 hours of diagnosis. All routine follow-up visits must also be reported.

    Appointments are required for most services. The TB Clinics times and locations are:

Note: If you need to schedule an appointment or if more information is needed call the main line at 850-606-8000.

Current Treatment Site

Leon County Health Department
2965 Municpal Way
Tallahassee, FL 32304
(850) 606-8000
Hours: 8:00am - 5pm
 Monday - Friday

What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that spreads from person to person through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs or sneezes. TB primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other organs.

What is TB infection?

Latent TB infection means that although a person has the TB infection in their body, it is dormant and can not spread to others. Latent TB infection can develop into active TB disease. Any other disease or condition which compromises the immune system can increase the likelihood that TB infection will develop into TB disease. Treatment is recommended for most people with latent TB infection, especially those at increased risk for active disease.
An inactive infection does not cause the person to feel sick, display any TB symptoms, or become contagious. However, it normally causes the person to have a positive skin test reaction and, unless the person receives treatment, he/she may develop TB disease at some point in the future.

What is TB active disease?

If an infected person's body is not able to make the TB germ inactive, they are said to have "active TB" or "TB disease." If TB disease is not treated, it can cause serious illness or even death. There is effective medical treatment for both latent TB infection and active TB disease.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of TB disease include fever, coughing, fatigue, weight loss, diminished appetite, or coughing up blood. TB can take six to nine months to cure, longer if the strain is resistant to drugs.

What is a TB skin test?

The TB skin test is a safe method to detect if you have been infected with TB. It can be given to anyone who needs it but must be read by a trained health care worker within 48 to 72 hours of administering the test. It has no adverse effects and can be given during pregnancy.

What does a positive TB test mean?

A positive TB test means that someone has been exposed to the TB germ and follow up evaluation is needed. Once a positive TB test has been confirmed to be truly positive, there is no point in having repeat TB tests in the future. They will not hurt you, or cause disease, but will always continue to be positive.

Could BCG vaccine affect TB skin test results?

BCG vaccine (Bacille Calmette-Guerin) used in countries where TB is endemic, can decrease the severity of TB in children but will not prevent TB infection. Contrary to what many people have been told, having received a BCG vaccine in the past will not usually cause a positive TB skin test. If you have a positive TB skin test, you should assume you are infected with TB.

Where can I get more information?

Below are various phone numbers and websites where you can locate more information.

Phone Numbers:
(850) – 606-8000 - Leon County Health Department
(800) - 4TB-INFO (482-4636) - A.G. Holley State Hospital

• Florida Department of Health: TB & Refugee Health
  http://www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/tb/
• A.G. Holley State Hospital
  http://www.doh.state.fl.us/AGHolley/
• Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE)
  http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/
• American Lung Association
  http://www.lungfla.org/aspcode/contactus.asp

Note:  If you need to schedule an appointment or if more information is needed, call the main line at 850-606-8000.

OR

STD/HIV/AIDS/TB

Tuberculosis Control

Provides services, regardless of income, to clients who have tuberculosis infection. Identifies contacts to those cases of tuberculosis and those at high risk for progression to tuberculosis disease once infected.

Tuberculosis screening tests are available if indicated.

For further information, please call
850 606-8000.

Office hours are Monday-Friday; appointments are preferred.

Links:

Florida Department of Health TB

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention TB

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