Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Manchester Health Department (MHD) are announcing additional testing clinics for people who might have been exposed to a person with tuberculosis (TB) who was at the Families in Transition (FIT) Adult Shelter and the 1269 Café in Manchester, NH while infectious.
During TB investigations, DHHS analyzes testing data and other information to inform next steps. The information collected to date suggests that people who visited FIT or 1269 Café in January 2025 might have a greater risk of being infected with the TB bacteria and should consider getting tested for TB if they haven’t done so already. DHHS and MHD are inviting people who visited one of the facilities in January to one of the following free TB testing clinics. Both clinics will be held at 1269 Café at 456 Union Street in Manchester.
- Tuesday, April 15 from 10am-2pm
- Wednesday, April 16 from 10am-2pm
“While not everyone who comes in contact with the TB bacteria gets sick, we are recommending that people who were at one of the two facilities in January get tested to see if they were exposed,” said Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot. “Getting tested can provide peace of mind and help prevent sickness and the spread of TB.”
The upcoming testing events follow several clinics that took place in mid-March. Of the more than 100 people who visited one of the facilities and were tested at those clinics, five have been diagnosed with latent TB infection and connected to appropriate treatment. While latent TB infection does not spread to other people or cause symptoms right away, it can cause illness later in life. Testing is the only way to know if people have been exposed to the TB bacteria and need treatment to prevent sickness.
There is no cost to get tested at the upcoming clinics. Testing will involve drawing a blood sample, which will be sent to the DHHS Public Health Laboratories to determine if the individual has been infected with the TB bacteria. People who believe they may have been exposed can also contact their primary care provider to request TB testing. Anyone without a primary care provider can call 211 to establish care.
Symptoms of active TB disease include unexplained weight loss, night sweats, fever, and a persistent cough that can last for weeks or longer. Anyone who might have been exposed to TB and develops these symptoms should contact DHHS at 603-271-4496 as soon as possible.
For more information about TB, please visit the DHHS TB webpage. Anyone with concerns or questions about their TB risk can call DHHS at 603-271-4496.