Our Tuberculosis Services in North Georgia

What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body. TB is transmitted through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs or sneezes. While TB disease can be serious, it is preventable and treatable with proper medical care. Some people may have latent TB infection (LTBI), meaning they carry the bacteria but do not feel sick and cannot spread it. Without treatment, LTBI can develop into active TB disease.
Click to watch this YouTube video and help END TB!

Our Services

TB Screening & Testing 

• TB Skin Test (TST) and TB Blood Test (IGRA)
• Testing services for individuals with TB symptoms or those exposed to someone with active TB
• Screenings for healthcare workers, students, and high-risk individuals

Evaluation & Diagnosis

• Clinical assessment for those with positive TB test results
• Chest X-rays and laboratory testing to confirm TB infection or disease
• Evaluation of individuals with symptoms such as prolonged cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss

Treatment & Case Management

• Free medications for eligible patients diagnosed with latent or active TB
• Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) to ensure effective treatment for TB cases, suspects and children <15 yrs of age with LTBI
• Case management, including support from nurses and health professionals

Contact Investigations & Prevention

• Identification and screening of individuals exposed to TB cases
• Preventive treatment for latent TB infection (LTBI) in high-risk contacts to reduce the risk of developing active TB
• Public health outreach and education to prevent TB transmission

Education & Community Outreach

• Information sessions on TB prevention and treatment
• Resources for schools, employers, and healthcare facilities

WHO SHOULD GET TESTED?

You may need a TB test if you:
✅ Have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with active TB
✅ Have symptoms of TB, such as a persistent cough, fever, or night sweats
✅ Work in healthcare, correctional facilities, or other high-risk settings
✅ Were born in or traveled to a country with a high rate of TB
✅ Have a weakened immune system due to medical conditions or medications

Please reach out to one of our county TB nurses if you think you might need testing.

HOW TO ACCESS OUR SERVICES

To schedule a TB test, evaluation, or consultation, contact the Health Department in your county of residence.

For more information about tuberculosis and how to protect yourself and others, visit the CDC’s TB Information Page.

REPORTING

Reporting Requirements

In Georgia, certain individuals with tuberculosis (TB) must be reported immediately to the public health authorities, which include County Health Departments, District Health Offices, or the State TB Program. Physicians, hospitals, laboratories, and other health care providers are required to report any of the following:

• Any person with confirmed active TB disease
• Any person presumed to have active TB disease
• Latent TB infection (inactive TB) in children under the age of 6 years

How to Report:

• Report cases electronically through the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS)
• Call or fax to the North Georgia Health District Health Office, TB Program Coordinator. (Ph: 470-863-5700, fax: 706-529-5752)
• Call 1-866-PUB-HLTH (1-866-782-4584)

𝗙𝗹𝘂 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗮, making it especially important for anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to do so as soon as possible.

𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝘂 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗱𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝘂 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 (𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝟲𝟱+) are available through 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁.

Getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect yourself, your loved ones, and our community during a severe flu season.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗹𝘂 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗢𝗨!

Find our locations and contact information here on our home page at www.nghd.org.

—En Español:

Read more …

ATLANTA – Flu activity is widespread and severe in Georgia, and cases are likely to increase following the holidays and as Georgians return to work and school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also projects a severe flu season. If you have not gotten a flu shot yet and have no medical conditions preventing you from doing so, the Department of Public Health strongly urges you to take advantage of the health benefits the flu vaccine provides as soon as possible.

The CDC recommends that individuals over the age of six months receive a once-yearly flu vaccine – not just for their own protection, but to protect others around them who may be more vulnerable to the flu and its complications, including the elderly and immunocompromised. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body, so now is the time to get a flu shot. Even if you get the flu, the vaccine can help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and, in extreme cases, death. You may consult with a healthcare professional (such as a licensed medical doctor, nurse, or other practitioner) if you have questions about the flu shot.

The flu vaccine is widely available at public health departments, doctors’ offices, grocery stores, neighborhood clinics, and pharmacies.

Flu symptoms and their severity can vary from person to person and may include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people are at higher risk of developing serious complications if they get sick. This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, pregnant women, and children younger than 5 years, but especially those younger than 2 years old.

In some cases, healthcare providers may recommend antiviral drugs to treat the flu. Antiviral drugs are prescription medications and are most effective when taken within 48 hours of symptom onset.

There are other tried and true measures you can take to help prevent the spread of flu:

Read more …

Jasper, GA – Beginning Monday, December 15, 2025, the Pickens County Health Department, located at 60 Health Way in Jasper, Georgia, will be closed until further notice due to a mold issue identified in the building that requires professional remediation. Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure a safe environment for both clients and staff, we must temporarily suspend on-site operations during the cleanup process.

However, during the closure, our Pickens staff will continue serving clients by working from the North Georgia Health District’s adjacent health departments in Gilmer and Cherokee counties, ensuring continuity of care. Residents seeking public health services in Pickens should call the health department number at (706) 253-2821 to be routed to the health district’s call center for an appointment in Gilmer or Cherokee County. Current WIC clients will be contacted about their appointments. Residents needing to apply for WIC may call (706) 370-4700.

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we complete the remediation process. Updates will be shared as soon as they are available here on the North Georgia Health District website.

Great news! WIC is HERE for you!

✅ WIC clinics will continue providing food benefits, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referral services to families.
✅ If you receive #WICBenefits, keep attending appointments and accessing services as usual.

We'll continue to keep you updated—WIC is here for you! In North Georgia, call (706) 370-4700.
_____

¡Buenas noticias! ¡WIC está aquí para ayudarlo!!

✅ Las clínicas de WIC seguirán brindando beneficios alimentarios, educación nutricional, apoyo a la lactancia materna y servicios de derivación a las familias.
✅ Si recibe beneficios de WIC, siga asistiendo a las citas y accediendo a los servicios como de costumbre.

Continuaremos manteniéndolo informado: ¡WIC está aquí para ayudarlo! En el Norte de Georgia, llame al (706) 370-4700.