Tuberculosis (TB) Facts
How Many People Have TB?
- In the last five years in South Carolina, we have had an average of 85 tuberculosis disease cases.
- Worldwide, TB is the second leading infectious
Regulation 61-22: The Evaluation of Staff of Schools and Child Care Centers for Tuberculosis
Regulation 61-22, The Evaluation of Staff of Schools and Child Care Centers for Tuberculosis, effective May 2017, requires one Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) or Interferon-Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) be completed for school and child care employees. This screening test must have been completed within the twelve months prior to hire for those new to working in schools or child care centers. Documentation of TB screening must be documented on a DPH 1420 School Employee Certificate of Evaluation for Tuberculosis form.
Tuberculosis Testing
DHEC provides tuberculosis screening only for TB suspects/cases, and contacts to a TB case.
Tuberculosis Contact Us
DPH Tuberculosis Control Section
Phone: (803) 898-0558
Fax: (803) 898-0685
TB Section Director
Amy Painter, RN, BSN
State TB Medical Consultant
Dr. F. Richard Ervin
Nurse Consultants
Candace Solomon, MSN, RN
Kendra Walker, MSN, RN
Program Administrator
Katie Waites, MPH
Surveillance Coordinator
Yolanda Jacobs
Epidemiologist
Murhaf Alkaddour
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease found primarily in the lungs. It is spread from person to person through the air. Persons who have tuberculosis in their lungs cough the bacteria into the air and others become infected by breathing in the bacteria. These persons now have latent TB. Without treatment for latent TB infection, approximately 10 percent of the persons who become infected will develop tuberculosis disease sometime in their lifetime. The remaining 90 percent of the people with latent TB carry the bacteria for a lifetime without developing the disease.