Georgia Medical Center Worker Diagnosed with Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a serious illness that can result in hospitalization or death. Recently, a worker at the Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth, Georgia realized that she had this illness and may have exposed others who came in for treatments to the contagious infection. On June 14th, the medical center officials sent notices out to 133 patients at the medical center who may have come into contact with the infected employee and should take preventative measures to make sure that they do not catch the illness.

The medical center employees are required to take a TB skin test every June to make sure that they do not have this illness, and usually the routine test only proves that all workers are healthy. Unfortunately, one unlucky worker at the medical center tested positive this year. She later learned that she had developed the illness on May 15th. While the infected employee is expected to recover, the medical center wants to make sure that patients who were exposed don’t experience the same symptoms.

Anyone who was exposed to the infected employee has been contacted and has been advised to return to the hospital for a free TB test. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention writes that TB is a disease that is called by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria can attack the lungs, making it difficult for victims to breathe. It can also attack any other part of the body. In the past, TB has been known to affect the brain, the spine, or the kidney.

If it is not treated, TB can become fatal. At one point, the illness was a leading cause of death in the United States. If you have been exposed, then you may have the right to seek compensation from the medical center. Hire am Atlanta injury lawyer today to seek damages if you were exposed to the illness.