Elvia Ledezma, M.P.H.
Communicable Disease Program Manager
7430 Louis Pasteur Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229
Phone: 210-949-2177
Fax: 210-692-1457
Preventing the spread of tuberculosis is the mission of the
Tuberculosis Program. If you have
tuberculosis disease (TB) then we will help you with treatment free of
charge. We will also help anyone you’ve
been in contact with as they may also have contracted TB, and this is also free
of charge.
The TB Program, part of the
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), works to prevent widespread
outbreaks of Tuberculosis throughout central Texas in what is known as Public
Health Region 8. Other regions of Texas
also have TB Programs that work to prevent TB outbreaks. No matter where you live, we at the TB
Program will help you if you become sick with tuberculosis. And we’ll do it at no cost to you.
TB Facts
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium
called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB
bacteria can also attack any part of the body such as the kidneys, spine, and
brain.
Not
everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. When a person carries TB
bacteria but does not get sick, they have “latent TB infection” (LTBI). When a
person carries TB bacteria and does get sick from it, they have "TB disease." TB disease can be fatal if it is not treated
properly.
Questions and Answers about TB (PDF 228 kb)
Services
Treatment and Clinical Management of TB
So how does the TB Program help you if you have TB disease? We help you through every step of recovery,
including coming to your home to guide you through treatment and
medication. We call this Directly
Observed Therapy (DOT). Our staff helps
TB patients take their medications at the prescribed intervals. Medications for TB must be taken according to
the directions or the TB bacteria could become resistant to medication. If the TB bacteria becomes resistant, then it
can be very difficult to treat. Prevention
of widespread outbreaks of TB is why we use DOT to help everyone who has TB disease. It is always free of charge and we will
continue to help you until you have fully completed your recovery.
Region 8 TB Program staff provide DOT to the following groups:
- All individuals confirmed with or suspected of having TB and
- All children on preventive therapy for Latent LTB Infection
(LTBI)
Treatment for Contacts of Persons with
TB Disease
The TB Program staff of DSHS Region 8 works
with patients being treated for TB disease to identify others who may have
contracted TB infection through contact with them. Our staff tests these contacts
for TB infection and provides treatment when infection is present. The TB Program staff will also provide LTBI
treatment for individuals identified through DSHS sponsored TB screening
activities. Anyone else with LTBI is referred to their family doctor for
treatment. For more information on reporting and treatment of TB infection for
providers, please see the link below.
TB Information and Reporting Packet for Providers
Counties Served
DSHS Region 8 provides the clinical services listed above to
patients who live in the following counties, regardless of their ability to
pay:
- Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie,
Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Jackson, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, La Salle,
Lavaca, Maverick, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Wilson and Zavala
- For San Antonio and Bexar County TB care is provided
by San Antonio Metropolitan Health District ( www.sanantonio.gov/health).
- For Victoria, Calhoun and Dewitt Counties TB
services are provided by Victoria City-County Public Health Department ( www.victoriacountypublichealthdepartment.org)
TB in Correctional Facilities
TB is a disease that is spread from person-to-person through the
air. Since many people share common air in correctional facilities, there is a
greater risk for people who are currently in jail or who have been in jail to
be exposed to TB. The Region 8 TB Program collects information from our
local, state, and federal correctional facilities to determine if there is any
risk of the spread of TB.
TB
Information for Medical Providers and Reporting Guidelines
Additional Resources