tuberculosis

Why this is important: A century ago, TB was a leading cause of death in the United States. Since that time, public health and medicine have made great strides to control this disease. TB is spread by an infected individual releasing TB bacteria into the air through coughing, sneezing, or even talking. Treatment for active TB is a 6-12 month course of medication that must be taken as prescribed to be effective.

Definition: Rate of reported cases of TB per 100,000 individuals.

Data Source: Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. Calculations and presentation of data by Spokane Regional Health District, Data Center. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tb/statistics/tbcases.htm.