Woman in Tacoma refusing treatment for tuberculosis The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is monitoring a case of active tuberculosis (TB) in a woman in Tacoma, who is currently declining treatment.

People with active, untreated infections are contagious and represent a risk to others, according to the health department.

The health department says it is currently working with the woman and her family to persuade her to get treatment to cure her TB.

"Most people we contact are happy to get the treatment they need," said Nigel Turner, division director of Communicable Disease Control.

Turner told FOX 13 that in the last 20 years, they've only had to turn to legal avenues three times.

There are, on average, about 20 cases of active TB per year in Pierce County.