As of July 1, 2024: per Tennessee Senate Public Chapter 1061 of 2024, all patients less than 18 years of age will be required to have signed or verbal consent by a legal parent or guardian prior to receiving all health department services. Please plan for any patients less than 18 years of age to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If the parent or legal guardian cannot accompany the minor to a visit, verbal consent must be obtained from the parent or guardian prior to receiving services. This law does not apply to legally emancipated minors.
The purpose of the Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination Program is to reduce and, ultimately, eliminate TB in Nashville.
What is Tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a disease that is spread from person to person through the air when someone who is sick with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, sings, laughs, or sneezes. TB is not as easy to spread as influenza or a cold. It takes sustained close contact with the individual with active TB.
TB infection vs. TB Disease
TB infection is when TB germs are inside your body, but they are not making you sick. If you have TB infection you cannot pass the germ to anyone else. But, TB infection can turn into TB disease, so it is important to get treatment.
TB disease is when the TB germs are active and multiplying in your body. Usually these germs attack the lungs, but they can attack any part of your body except your fingernails, hair, and teeth. People with TB disease can spread the germ to others and so they must get treatment.
Symptoms of TB
General symptoms of TB include feeling weak, tired, unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats, and loss of appetite. Symptoms of TB of the lungs include a cough that won’t go away, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Depending on where the TB germs are in a person’s body they might have other symptoms.
TB and HIV
If a person has HIV and TB infection they are more likely to get TB disease than a person who doesn’t have HIV. They should get treatment for TB infection and TB disease right away.
Tuberculosis Elimination Program Services
The TB Elimination Program works with community agencies, providers, and hospitals to identify persons who have active TB disease and TB infection. Diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up services are provided to all persons in Davidson County who are diagnosed with active TB disease. Contact investigations are conducted in partnership with patients who have active TB disease to identify, evaluate, and treat individuals who have been exposed to active TB.
The TB Elimination Program also provides TB screening for Davidson County residents that are at increased risk for tuberculosis. Preventive treatment for TB infection is available.
Tuberculosis disease is preventable, treatable, and curable with antibiotics when patients take their medications as prescribed by their healthcare provider.
The MPHD clinics moved to an appointment based system, October 1, 2018 to allow us to see individuals in a more timely manner. Walk-ins will continue to be seen but will likely take longer to receive services. Please schedule an appointment.
Schedule a tuberculosis screening appointment.
Related Information
Location
Lentz Public Health Center
2500 Charlotte Avenue
TB Elimination Program, Suite 100
Nashville,
TN
37209