How Common is Tuberculosis in New York State?

How common is something like Tuberculosis? I recall at some point in my life getting an immunization for it, and somewhere in my brain, I know that there are very few cases a year, right?

So why did I get an email from a company asking me if I want to be screened for Tuberculosis? I was seriously thinking that they maybe knew something that I did not. However given my personality, I had to do a big of a deeper dive into what Tuberculosis is and how prevalent it is in New York State.

What is Tuberculosis and do people still get it?

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease, which means that it is spread by the TB germ. The area of your body that it would affect the most is the lungs. Does it mean if you get a case of TB that you are going to die? No, while it is one of the most deadliest diseases in the world, depending on how soon you seek out treatment, you have a great chance of living a long healthy life. 

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How is Tuberculosis spread from one person to another?

Remember that there is a vaccine for TB and that there are very few cases reported each year. That being said, many people who have TB don't know it until the disease spreads to their lungs. The germs that cause TB are most often spread by a person simply coughing, singing or breathing if they have it. Can you get tested for TB? Oh yes, you can. In fact, that was the subject of the email I received talking to me about a place that I could receive discrete TB testing.

Stay vigilant, stay healthy and if you choose, get vaccinated against it.