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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">For Immediate Release<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">June 8, 2009<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">Contact: Geni Alexander, Public Information Officer<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">573.874.7632 or <A href="mailto:gaalexan@GoColumbiaMo.com">gaalexan@GoColumbiaMo.com</A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Health Department Responds to Active Tuberculosis Case in Boone County<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Contact Investigation is Underway<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services is investigating after a case of active tuberculosis (TB) was identified in Boone County. As mandated by federal law, officials from the health department are conducting contact investigations and following up with those identified as a close contact of the case. Disease investigators are scheduling TB skin-tests for those who may have been exposed. Officials from University of Missouri Health Care and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services are assisting with the investigation.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">There are two types of TB – latent TB and active TB. Most individuals infected with the TB bacteria have no symptoms, are not contagious and have normal chest X-rays. This is called latent TB infection. Those with latent TB infection do not spread TB. However, an individual with latent TB infection may at some point develop active TB disease and become contagious. Symptoms of active TB disease may include a cough that lasts longer than three weeks, spitting up blood, night sweats and/or unexpected weight loss. According to the CDC, one-third of the world’s population carries the TB bacteria.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">The TB bacteria is only spread through close contact with someone who has active TB disease. When someone with active TB disease coughs, sneezes, sings or talks and another person nearby breathes in the bacteria over an extended period of time, in close quarters with little ventilation, that other person is at risk of being infected with TB. This does not mean they will progress immediately to active TB disease, just that they might become a latent TB case and at some point progress to active TB disease. TB is not spread by dishes, drinking glasses, sheets, clothing or by touching someone with the disease. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">The health department reminds citizens that if you are identified as a close contact of an active TB case investigation such as this, it is important to comply with the investigation, including all follow-up visits when scheduled, as untreated TB infection can develop into active TB disease. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">Individuals with questions or concerns about possible exposure should contact MU Health Care at 573.884.2401 or visit <A href="http://www.muhealth.org/">www.muhealth.org</A>. Citizens who have questions about tuberculosis may speak with a public health nurse by calling 573.874.6374 or visit <A href="http://www.cdc.gov/tb/">www.cdc.gov/tb/</A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<DIV align=right><FONT color=#0000ff size=3><STRONG>** Virus scanned by City of
Columbia MO Email Firewall **</STRONG></FONT>
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