Prevalence of Pulmonary Tuberculosis among the Somali Population in Minnesota Sahur Hussein, Sponsers; Dr. Blinnikov, Mikhail; Antunez, Hector Giovanni Geography and Planning; Kinesiology, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN Abstract In 2013 Minnesota had 151 active Tuberculosis cases, which is the rate of 28 cases per 100,000 people. Of the 87 counties, 24% reported at least one new case of Tuberculosis that year. Sixty of the cases occurred among Blacks and about 95% of the cases were among foreign-born. In general, the vast majority Minnesota patients diagnosed with TB are foreign born, approximately 80%. In 2013, 123 cases Tuberculosis were reported among foreign born persons from 23 different countries. 47% of the foreign born patients were from Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013 about 14% of foreign born persons were diagnosed within 12 months after arriving in the United States. 58% of the Minnesota cases had the disease exclusively in the lungs known as Pulmonary reported had Tuberculosis disease exclusively in the lungs known as Pulmonary Tuberculosis. In the United States factors that contribute to Tuberculosis in the Somali Community in Minnesota include but not limited to poverty, overcrowding, and limited medical resources. Somali ranks in the top 15 countries of origin for foreign-born persons with cases of Tuberculosis in the United States. Although the Somali population in Minnesota is only one percent, they account for 30% of Tuberculosis cases reported statewide from In this research I am looking for the Pulmonary Tuberculosis cases among the Somali population in Minnesota in the past 5 to 10 years. I expect there to be less Pulmonary Tuberculosis among the Somali population in Minnesota in comparison to other forms of Tuberculosis. I also expect there to be increase in number of Tuberculosis among new immigrants. Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacteria that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable. TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected. About one-third of the world's population has latent TB. People infected with TB bacteria have a lifetime risk of falling ill with TB of 10%. However persons with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a much higher risk of falling ill. When a person develops active TB, the symptoms (cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss etc.) may be mild for many months. This can lead to delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of the bacteria to others. People ill with TB can infect up to other people through close contact over the course of a year. Without proper treatment up to two thirds of people ill with TB will die. Tuberculosis is a preventable and curable disease yet so many countries are still high risk of dying from tuberculosis. Somalis in Minnesota The civil war broke out and millions of Somalis fled to neighboring countries Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. Years later the first wave of Somali refugees were sent to Minnesota. To qualify as a refugee, there is a process. The U.S. State Department ultimately decides where refugees will live, but it has to do with the voluntary agencies, called VOLAGS, that contract with the State Department. Minnesota has very active ones like Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities, and World Relief Minnesota (WCCO). Those agencies agree to help the refugees get settled, to learn English, find housing, get health care, and begin a new life. Dr. Ahmed Samatar said they are known to be welcoming, and they invest a significant time of labor and resources, to help people find some comfort here and hope. Over the past 25 years, the United States has admitted about 84,000 Somali refugees. Close to 40 percent live in Minnesota. The num­ber of So­malis re­set­tled in the state has more than trip­led in four years. County of Residence Number of Somali Primary Refugee Arrivals to MN ≥18 years old, Number diagnosed with latent TB infection (LTBI) (%)*** Number initiated LTBI treatment (%)**** Number diagnosed with active TB disease (%)*** Hennepin (48%)267 (82%)5 (1%) Ramsey (51%)139 (90%)1 (<1%) Stearns (53%)138 (93%)4 (1%) Olmsted7436 (51%)24 (67%)0 (0%) Rice5829 (54%)27 (93%)0 (0%) Kandiyohi4324 (59%)20 (83%)0 (0%) Anoka3311 (42%)9 (92%)0 (0%) Other13958 (48%)52 (90%)0 (0%) Total (50%)676 (86%)10 (1%)