The 1997 rate in Benton County was 5.2 people per 100,000. Most cases in the Tri-Cities are diagnosed in people born outside the United States, most in Mexico or Asian countries, said Dr. Larry Jecha, the district health officer. In a more unusual case, an elderly person developed symptoms decades after being infected as a child, when tuberculosis was widespread. Most people infected with tuberculosis never develop symptoms, although the infection remains and in rare cases can become active years later. It wasn't known if any of the 15 people found to have tuberculosis last year in the Tri-Cities died.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease that most often affects the lungs.
It's spread through the air by coughing or sneezing. However, usually prolonged exposure, such as living in the same household, is needed to pass the infection to another person. There is no reliable vaccine for tuberculosis. It's detected through a skin test. The health department treats everyone who has a positive test to ensure the disease does not become active and spread to others.