Jillian Dickens
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 17/05) - This year to date 39 cases of active tuberculosis have been found in Nunavut - a jump from the 33 active cases reported in August.

A number of people with the disease have been hospitalized this year, but acting regional TB co-ordinator Mary Potyrala could not say how many exactly.

She says the jump in infected people since August should not alarm Nunavummiut.

"(The rate of infection) goes up and down," said Potyrala. "There is no rhyme nor reason for this."

Why Nunavut has 17 times the national average of both active and dormant tuberculosis cases is easier to pinpoint.

"Stress, alcohol, poor nutrition, body stress - basically people who have compromised or weak immune systems are more at risk to getting infected," said Potyrala.

The rate of infection is directly related to socio-economic conditions common in Nunavut - cramped housing conditions, poor diet, stress, and drug and alcohol addiction.

Those with active TB disease are sick from germs that are active in the body and tend to have common symptoms, such as a persistent cough, fatigue, weight loss, night sweat, chest pains or fever and chills.

Active TB is contagious and can be spread through coughs, sneezes, and less commonly through breathing or talking said Potyrala.

However, public health nurse Charlene Lavallee said children with active TB cannot spread the disease.

"Their respiratory systems are not mature enough," explained Lavallee.

If someone has active TB they are isolated from the public in either their homes or the hospital for two weeks while treatment takes place. After that, they are no longer contagious. However, TB treatment - medication in the form of pills or liquids - takes six months for active TB and nine months for dormant.

Each time a person takes the medication they must go to the clinic and be monitored by a public health staff, said Lavallee.

"This is because we know people stop taking their medicine after they start to feel better," she said. But until all medication is taken, the diseases or infection is still alive in the body and can grow stringer and more resistant to medication.

"We are strict about this because we want to reduce drug resistance," she said.

If you test positive for TB infection rather than TB diseases, the disease lies dormant in the body. It is not causing sickness, and cannot be spread at that point.

"All communities throughout Nunavut have cases of people with latent TB," said Potyrala.

"Distinguishing the difference between active and latent TB is very important."

Those with dormant TB are either treated or go under surveillance, meaning they have routine checkups.

"But they are encouraged to be treated," said Potyrala.

Although people with dormant TB infection are not sick, they are more at risk of getting active TB than someone without the infection.