Big Medicine

Delaware's Division of Public Health (DPH) will conduct a tuberculosis contact investigation in the Wilmington area beginning Monday, Nov. 16. The investigation comes in the wake of the hospitalization of a 55 year-old homeless man with an active case of TB.

The Centers for Disease Control will assist DPH with data collection. DPH officials estimate there are nearly 250 people involved in the investigation.

Tuberculosis is a bacterium that is inhaled into the lungs. The bacteria are released into the air when a person infected with TB coughs. People with TB disease are most likely to spread it to people they spend time with every day, such as family members, friends and coworkers. Signs and symptoms of TB include a strong cough that lasts more than two weeks, coughing up blood or sputum, chest pain, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, appetite loss, chills, fever and night sweats.