Source: Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, MDCH

Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease that is spread through airborne respiratory substances (or droplets), such as a cough or a sneeze.  Tuberculosis mainly affects the lungs and can possibly spread to the bones and other parts of the body.  The highest age specific TB incidence rates are among the elderly.  Other groups at higher risk of contracting TB are the homeless, alcoholics, and substance abusers, those infected with HIV/AIDS, and those born in countries with a high prevalence of TB.  From 1989 to 1998, the number of tuberculosis cases in Michigan decreased from 462 to 385 cases per year.  In 1998 Michigan’s tuberculosis case rate was 4.1 per 100,000 population.  Between 1996-1998 Van Buren and Cass counties had fewer than 6 cases of tuberculosis.