HJAR Jan/Feb 2026

34 JAN / FEB 2026 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS ADH CORNER COLUMN ADH CORNER TUBERCULOSIS (TB) is the world’s leading cause of death from infectious disease, yet in the United States, TB is relatively uncommon. Consequently, it often goes overlooked in day-to-day clinical practice. But, the number of cases is on the rise nationwide, including in adult and pediatric populations in Arkan- sas. Last year marked the first time in over 15 years that the state surpassed 100 TB cases in a year. So, it is more important than ever for Arkansas healthcare providers to “Think TB!” TB is an airborne infection caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tubercu- losis that is spread to others when people with active TB cough. The bacteria typically attack the lungs, but they can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, internal organs, or spine. TB is considered a disease of public health significance because it takes coordination between patients, healthcare providers, and the health department to keep it under con- trol. As a disease of public health significance, healthcare providers and laboratories are legally required to report all cases of TB to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) within 24 hours of diagnosis. In Arkansas, TB disproportionally affects AfricanAmericans, Pacific Islanders, and His- panics. Those most at risk for severe compli- cations are babies and young children, older adults, and people who are immunocompro- mised. Symptoms may include a cough for three weeks or more, as well as chest pain, fever, night sweats, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss. Many cases of TB are misdiag- nosed as recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis. TB may also be mistaken for lung cancer. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick, which results in two distinct TB-related conditions: latent TB infection (LTBI) or active TB disease. • LTBI occurs when TB bacteria are pre- sent in the body, but the infected per- son is not sick, does not have symptoms, and cannot spread the disease to others. However, without treatment, a person with LTBI can develop active TB disease at any time. One in 10 people with LTBI goes on to develop active TB disease. • Active TB disease occurs when a per- son is sick and can spread the disease to others. About 80% of active cases occur in the lungs, where the bacteria can cause pneumonia, cavitary lesions, chronic cough, and coughing up blood. It is estimated that over one-fourth of the global population is infected with latent TB, making it one of the most common infections in humanity. Who Should Be Screened for LTBI? Screening for TB is our most effective prevention tool. It involves an assessment to identify people at the highest risk for TB infection and evaluating them for possible symptoms of active TB. InArkansas, people at the highest risk include: • Close contacts of someone with infec- tious TB (exposure typically requires prolonged indoor contact — about eight hours). TB Is Easy to Miss: THINK TB!