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NYC sees largest increase in tuberculosis cases in 26 years
The number of tuberculosis cases in New York City suddenly jumped by 10 percent last year — the largest increase since 1992, according to the Health Department.
TB is a highly infectious bacterial disease that largely attacks the lungs, but can also infect and spread to other organs, including the kidneys, spine or brain.
There were 613 reported cases in 2017, compared to 556 in 2016.
TB has been on the decline in the city since peaking at 3,811 cases in 1992.
In an alert to medical professionals Monday, the Health Department offered no explanation for the surge.
People at high risk for TB include substance abusers and people with HIV.
The alert urges doctors to test high-risk patients for TB. Chest imaging is used to see if someone tests positive for the disease.
Symptoms include fever, coughing and coughing up blood, night sweats and weight loss.
“The TB rate in NYC is 7.5 per 100,000 persons, more than double the provisional 2017 national rate of 2.8 per 100,000 persons,” said Joseph Burzynski, assistant commissioner and director of the Bureau of TB Control.