Today, over 200 students considered at highest risk for contracting Tuberculosis were administered skin tests. These tests were necessary because of the Tuberculosis scare surrounding a student currently in the hospital. Although the case is not confirmed, the student has begun treatment for the disease, and family members and other close contacts are being tested. At this time, these skin tests are a precautionary measure.

The “suspect case” the district told parents about is a junior who transferred from Ennis, where the initial outbreak occurred. There were over 120 students who tested positive in Ennis with two confirmed cases.

Students considered at highest risk (had classes with him, rode the bus with him, etc.) are being tested first, while the student with the disease is currently being treated at Denton Regional Hospital. Health Department officials will be back on Thursday to read the tests of those students who were tested. It could take as long as a week before anyone knows for sure if the affected student actually has tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (or TB) is an infectious disease that usually manifests itself in a person’s lungs. Common symptoms of TB include coughing and fever. TB requires close and prolonged contact with a contagious case to contract. There is a vaccine that protects a person against the active form, but only taking antibiotics for a very extended period of time (months) can prevent inactive TB from becoming active.

According to the CDC, 9 million people worldwide contracted TB in 2010. Out of those 9 million, 1.4 million people died “TB-related deaths.”