Location: 4813 New Haven Ave., Fort Wayne, IN 46803 • Hours: 8 a.m. to Noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Meet the Staff: Jessica James, BSN, RN, Public Health Nurse; Dawn Sipes, BSN, RN, Public Health Nurse; Sandra Scovel, LPN; Laura Sanchez, Infectious Disease Specialist; Phil Steigerwald, Infectious Disease Specialist; Tin Moe Tun, TB Outreach • Lisa Little, LPN; LaQuisha Stapleton, Med. Assistant; Audrey Burton, Office Manager; Saw Lincoln, Interpreter
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best thing I can do to protect myself and my family from communicable diseases?
Handwashing, handwashing, handwashing...
When you should wash your hands:
- Before or after preparing foods
- Before you eat
- After using the restroom
- After handling animals or animal waste
- When someone is sick at home
How should you wash your hands?
- Dispense paper towel
- Wet your hands and apply soap
- Rub your hands together, scrubbing all surfaces
- Continue washing for at least 15 seconds
- Rinse well and dry with paper towel
- Turn off fauce with paper towel
Can I get TB from someone with a positive TB skin test?
It depends. Tuberculosis is passed from one person to another only through sharing the same air with someone who is actually sick with active TB. This is referred to as "airborne transmission." Someone with a positive skin test who is sick with active TB would likely have symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, chills, fever or night sweats, loss of appetite, cough, chest pain or shortness of breath.
A person who has a positive TB skin test, normal chest X-ray and no symptoms of TB has a latent TB infection. This is NOT contagious and you can't catch TB from this person. An individual with this infection can be treated with an antibiotic which should prevent them from ever becoming sick with TB disease.
Where can I get a TB skin test or chest X-ray?
The Department of Health no longer offers TB skin tests as a routine service. Alen County is fortunate to have a system of health care providers who can provide routine TB screening services including TB skin tests and chest X-rays to those in need. Please click here for a list of providers.
More Articles: General Information • TB Consortium of Allen County • Nonreportable diseases • Influenza • Influenza porcina (gripe porcina) • Reportable Communicable Diseases • Tuberculosis • Hepatitis A • MRSA • Translated Educational Materials
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