Microbiology Testing Services

In late April, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported that cases of tuberculosis (TB) were on the rise, putting state and local public health officials on heightened alert. The agency went on to share that widespread disruptions in public health and healthcare services, and missed TB diagnoses due to similarities in symptoms between COVID-19 and TB, are thought to have contributed to TB cases rising both locally and globally.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes TB and the bacterium can be spread from a person with the disease of the lungs or throat through the air from one person to another when they cough, sneeze, speak or sing. This occurs when people nearby breathe in the bacteria and then become infected. This is why the transmission of tuberculosis can be a significant risk in healthcare environments and other places where many people share the same space for extended periods of time.

“Cases rose considerably in Washington with 199 cases of TB disease reported last year, a 22% increase from 2020 according to DOH,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “So far this year, 17 of the new cases of TB all have connections with each other and several Washington state prisons, making it the state’s largest outbreak in the last 20 years.”

Helping to prevent the spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are the scientists at EMSL Analytical, Inc. They utilize highly sensitive real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques to identify contaminated air samples collected on special filter cassettes. These tests can help to prevent new outbreaks and support infection control programs.

To learn more about microbial pathogen testing or other infection control, environmental or indoor air quality services, please visit www.EMSL.com, email info@EMSL.com or call (800) 220-3675.