After spiking in 2023, local rates of tuberculosis infections started to decrease slightly, according to a new report from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
Tuberculosis is a serious but curable infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs, though it can impact other parts of the body like the brain, spine and kidneys.
It’s caused by bacteria and spread through the air after prolonged contact with an infectious individual through coughing, sneezing or talking.
Initial symptoms typically include a cough that lasts longer than two weeks, fatigue, weight loss and fever.
There was a sharp increase in TB rates locally from 2022 to 2023, with infections rising from a total of 155 to 332. However, that increase can largely be explained by significantly reduced testing during the pandemic.
Total infections dropped from 332 to 264 in 2024.
Of those cases, only 12 and 16 were active (contagious), respectively.
Active cases are referred directly to a TB specialist for assessment; all active cases must isolate until they are no longer contagious, which might take weeks.
TB is treated with antibiotics; the treatment is lengthy and complicated, often taking six months to two years or longer.
WDGPH is one of the few health units in the province that operates a TB clinic, which provides testing, diagnosis and treatment, as well as additional care to clients who require support with social determinants of health.
Public Health administered 1,453 tuberculin tests, which screen for tuberculosis, in 2024.
Of that number, 110 were referred for medical surveillance, compared to 125 in 2023.
TB predominantly impacts newcomer populations; all clients diagnosed with active TB in 2024 were foreign-born.
“Because of the challenges encountered when immigrating to a new county, many of these clients struggle to find appropriate housing, work and, at times, food,” the report states.
This can make it difficult for newcomers to isolate and therefore puts others at risk.
The TB program supports clients by helping them navigate issues like these by discussing TB risks with household members, writing letters of support to employers and connecting clients with community resources that can provide them with food, allowing them to focus instead on their treatment and recovery.