Fulton County reported more new tuberculosis cases in the state of Georgia for 2006. However, TB rates, for the third consecutive year, continued to decline in Fulton County through 2006. The number of newly reported TB cases in 2006 was 72. This represents a 17.1% decline in number of reported TB cases from the 88 reported in 2005. Since 2000, reported TB cases in Fulton County have declined by 60.2%. A portion of the decline can be attributed to the systematic use of providing TB treatment through directly observed therapy (DOT), which is considered the standard of care for providing tuberculosis treatment. During 2006, 91.8 % of all patients receiving treatment in Fulton County for active TB disease received treatment through DOT.

TB in Fulton County continues to disproportionately affect Blacks and African Americans. During 2006, 73.6% (53/72) of TB cases diagnosed for Fulton County were among Blacks. Of the total 72 reported cases in 2006, 68.0% (49/72) were US-born African-Americans. However, this does indicate a decrease in the percentage reported from 2005 where 78.4% (69/88) of cases occurred among Blacks. The percent of cases occurring among US-born African-American remained constant from 2005 to 2006 where in 2005, 67.1% (59/88) of cases represented US-born African-Americans. However, it does denote a 6 point decline, percentage wise, from 2004 where 73.2% (85/116) of all TB cases were among African-Americans. In 2005 the state of Georgia launched the HALT TB campaign which is a public health education campaign directed to address the disproportionate amount of TB occurring in the African American community.

The percentage of patients with both active TB disease and HIV infection has slightly decreased from 2005 to 2006, but is still an increase over 2004 numbers; during 2004, 25.8% (30/116); in 2005, 29.5% (26/88), and in 2006, 27.7% (20/72) of TB cases were also co-infected with HIV. Fulton County offered HIV testing to 99% of all tuberculosis patients receiving clinical services; 90.5% were tested (105 of 116), 9.5% declined (11 of 116); the 11 who declined were mostly children. Patients with TB/HIV co infection accounted for 25% (30 of 116) of all Fulton County tuberculosis cases in 2004. This proportion has remained the same since 2002. Strategies to control the spread of HIV will have the added benefit of reducing the spread of tuberculosis, therefore should be a part of TB elimination strategies. 

Historically, most of the reported TB cases in Fulton County have been among US-born persons. However, the proportion of TB cases in Fulton County is slightly increasing among non US-born persons. This reflects the current trend that has increasingly been seen across the country over the past 13 years where the percentage of TB cases accounted for by non US-born persons has increased. In the US, this percentage of cases in the non US-born has increased from 22% in 1986 to 55% in 2005. This trend is now slowly presenting itself in Fulton County --- in 2004, 21.5% (25/116); 2005, 28.4% (25/88), and in 2006, 25.0% (18/72) of reported TB cases were among non US-born persons. There is no specific group, such as refugees, that account for the non US-born cases as they represent countries from all over the world.

 You can download the TB Trends in Fulton County Report by clicking the button below:

2006 Fulton County TB Report