Tuberculosis cases linked to Aurora homeless shelter

The Kane County Health Department announced on their Web site they are investigating a cluster of two active tuberculosis cases involving two clients at Hesed House, a homeless shelter in Aurora.

The two patients are on appropriate therapy for tuberculosis, the news release states, and remain hospitalized.

Further investigation into the situation has turned up no other cases.

"We are working closely with the shelter to locate the close contacts of the patients for tuberculosis screening," said Health Department Executive Director Paul Kuehnert. "The good news is that out of the 150 clients screened, none of them has tested positive for TB. Our investigation will be ongoing."

The news release added transmission of tuberculosis requires close and prolonged contact in a closed environment. Casual contact with a tuberculosis patient is not likely to lead to the transmission of the disease.

Symptoms of tuberculosis include a prolonged cough of three or more weeks, fever, night sweats and weight loss.

Tuberculosis is a curable disease when discovered early.

For further questions about tuberculosis or to schedule a skin test, people are asked to call (866) 233-9493.