Tubercular Infection Detected in Northern California Gambling Establishment
Cache Creek Casino Resort, located west of Sacramento, California, has issued a public health alert following a case of contagious tuberculosis (TB) in its community. The casino's actions are aimed at preventing the spread of TB within its community, ensuring the safety of its patrons and staff.
According to the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency, they are still responsible for contacting anyone who was potentially in close contact with the infected individual. Close contact is defined as a cumulative exposure of at least eight hours.
In coordination with the California Department of Public Health, public health officials and casino staff are conducting contact tracing to identify individuals who had close contact with the infected person. Those meeting this threshold are being contacted directly for evaluation.
Individuals identified through contact tracing will be evaluated for possible TB infection. This typically includes medical assessment and testing such as the TB skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) to determine if TB infection is present.
It's important to note that most people with TB have a latent, non-contagious infection, but active disease can develop, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of active TB include a cough lasting 3 weeks or more, chest pain, coughing up blood, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
Cache Creek Casino Resort remains open, and as of the latest reports, no other positive cases beyond the confirmed one have been found. The casino is continuing its operations while taking measures to ensure the safety of its patrons and staff.
While there is a TB vaccine, it is typically only given to children at high risk in the United States due to the rarity of the disease. Treatment for TB exposure typically involves preventive therapy for latent TB infection to reduce the risk of developing active TB disease, guided by health department protocols. Close contacts diagnosed with active TB receive a full course of multi-drug therapy under health supervision.
The case of TB at Cache Creek Casino Resort is not related to people ignoring medical advice on vaccinations. The casino's response to the TB case is similar to its response during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tuberculosis is a contagious disease that can spread from person to person through the air. Despite being relatively rare, TB remains a serious public health concern, with cases rising nationally and in California. The coordinated response emphasizes timely contact tracing, testing, and monitoring to prevent further spread.
[1] Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency - Tuberculosis Information [2] California Department of Public Health - Tuberculosis Control Branch [3] U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Tuberculosis [4] Cache Creek Casino Resort - Public Health Alert Update [5] Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency - Contact Tracing Protocols for Tuberculosis
In the context of the public health alert, the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency is working with the California Department of Public Health to conduct contact tracing for individuals who had close contact with the infected person at Cache Creek Casino Resort, which may involve medical evaluations and testing like the TB skin test or interferon-gamma release assay.
Individuals identified through contact tracing will be at risk for having TB infection, a contagious disease that can spread from person to person through the air, and should be evaluated promptly following health department protocols for possible TB infection.
