Amador County – Amador County Public Health announced Monday that it has identified a “probable” adult case of contagious tuberculosis (TB) at Jackson Junior High School. In conjunction with administrators and school officials at the Amador County Unified School District, Public Health is evaluating all students, staff and faculty who may have been exposed. Officials are in the process of contacting parents of all children that were potentially exposed. Amador County Public Health Officer Dr. Bob Hartmann in a release Tuesday said: “Because TB is caused by a germ that is spread through the air, Amador County Public Health will be testing those students, teachers, and other school staff who had close contact with the probable case of TB.” TB can be treated and cured, Hartmann said, and “the most common way to become infected with TB germs is by spending a lot of time with a person who has active TB in an enclosed space.” He said it “is important to recognize that there is a difference between TB infection and TB disease.” People with TB disease “are sick from the germs that are active in their body.” They may cough a lot, feel weak, have a fever, lose weight, cough up blood, or sweat a lot at night. People with the TB disease may transmit the infection to others. People with a TB infection (without the disease) “have the TB germ in their body, but are not sick because the germ is inactive. They cannot spread the germ to others. About 1 out of 10 people with TB infection become sick with TB disease.” Hartmann said Public Health representatives will host an informational meeting, including a question and answer period, for all interested parents and school staff 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 24th at Jackson Junior High gym. “Although it may be a new experience for the parents, students, and school staff involved, communicable disease investigation is a regular activity for Amador County Public Health,” Hartmann said. Any students or staff who test positive for infection will receive further testing and medication to ensure that they do not develop the active form of TB disease. Parents with immediate questions or concerns may also call a school district nurse at 257-5377 or Public Health at 223-6407. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 02:11
Public Health Investigates Probable TB Case at Jackson Junior High
Written by Tom-
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Amador County – Amador County Public Health announced Monday that it has identified a “probable” adult case of contagious tuberculosis (TB) at Jackson Junior High School. In conjunction with administrators and school officials at the Amador County Unified School District, Public Health is evaluating all students, staff and faculty who may have been exposed. Officials are in the process of contacting parents of all children that were potentially exposed. Amador County Public Health Officer Dr. Bob Hartmann in a release Tuesday said: “Because TB is caused by a germ that is spread through the air, Amador County Public Health will be testing those students, teachers, and other school staff who had close contact with the probable case of TB.” TB can be treated and cured, Hartmann said, and “the most common way to become infected with TB germs is by spending a lot of time with a person who has active TB in an enclosed space.” He said it “is important to recognize that there is a difference between TB infection and TB disease.” People with TB disease “are sick from the germs that are active in their body.” They may cough a lot, feel weak, have a fever, lose weight, cough up blood, or sweat a lot at night. People with the TB disease may transmit the infection to others. People with a TB infection (without the disease) “have the TB germ in their body, but are not sick because the germ is inactive. They cannot spread the germ to others. About 1 out of 10 people with TB infection become sick with TB disease.” Hartmann said Public Health representatives will host an informational meeting, including a question and answer period, for all interested parents and school staff 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 24th at Jackson Junior High gym. “Although it may be a new experience for the parents, students, and school staff involved, communicable disease investigation is a regular activity for Amador County Public Health,” Hartmann said. Any students or staff who test positive for infection will receive further testing and medication to ensure that they do not develop the active form of TB disease. Parents with immediate questions or concerns may also call a school district nurse at 257-5377 or Public Health at 223-6407. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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