FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – A public health investigation has been initiated due to active tuberculosis at George Bush High School, according to a release from Fort Bend County Health & Human Services.
Blood testing will begin at George Bush High School on June 19.
The families of students who will be tested have been notified.
A positive test does not mean that the person is ill with active TB disease; it simply means that they have been exposed to the bacteria and are infected. They may never develop TB disease and cannot spread the disease to anyone else while only having a positive test for infection.
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by bacteria. It typically causes a disease of the lungs, but can affect other organs of the body. While tuberculosis can be spread from person to person, it usually takes prolonged close contact with a person with active disease. It is not spread as easily as a cold, flu or measles, but may be spread if droplets coughed or sneezed into the air reach the lungs of another person.
The health department's protocol requires an investigation to find possible infections from the source case.
Family members are tested first. If necessary, others in close contact are then tested. This includes people in work and school settings.
Symptoms of tuberculosis disease include persistent and productive cough lasting more than two weeks, unexplained fevers, night sweats, unexplained weight loss or coughing up blood.
The department requested that anyone experiencing the symptoms should consult their health care provider.
