Kentridge High School Tuberculosis Scare: 135 People Should Consider Evaluations

Kentridge High School of USA is facing major evaluations for Tuberculosis. A school committee member has been diagnosed with active Tuberculosis and there are 135 people recommended to evaluate. Individuals who came in contact with the patient are now suggested to take treatments based on their interactions. 

The exposure took place from March to September 2023, and the person with active tuberculosis is taking treatment for it. However, the people who came in contact with the patient are tested if they pose a risk of the disease. To combat this disease, antibiotics are advised for a duration of 6-9 months. And those who have already been diagnosed with this disease are supposed to take treatment for it.

Public Health Insider, said “TB is a highly infectious disease and can be passed from person to person via air. When a person coughs, sings, or speaks bacteria can get in the air. People who breathe the same air or are near to this person can be infected with this disease.”

People with a latent TB infection are given treatment for 3-4 months so they do not develop a disease in the coming days. The school is contacting the individuals who came into contact with this person and evaluated for infection and disease.

What Is The Difference Between A TB Infection And Disease?

There are two stages for evaluating Tuberculosis. One being the latent infection and the other a disease. Let us understand in detail these two scenarios.

Latent TB Infection

Just like another infection, this also has the potential to progress as a disease. Individuals with this infection show no signs of TB such as coughing, fever, fatigue, or body aches. It is not contagious as the infection is just developing in the individual internally. The chest X-ray also shows up as normal because there is no sign of disease in the lungs yet.

The detection of this disease is done through a blood test or positive tuberculin skin test (TST). The test indicates whether the individual has been exposed to TB Bacteria. Medications for this infection depend on how far it has progressed. 

TB Disease

While the infection may have the potential to turn into a disease, the disease itself is deadly. Individuals diagnosed with tuberculosis show signs of heavy coughing, incessant fever, weight loss, night sweats, and chest pain. It is highly contagious and can be transmitted by air from patient to others. 

The detection of this disease is shown in blood tests, chest X-rays, or TST. Your lungs are the most affected area when suffering from Tuberculosis. Treatment is of utmost essential when an individual is diagnosed with this disease. The normal duration for this treatment is about 6-9 months to prevent spreading in the body and to others. If proper treatment is not taken, then it can lead to fatal consequences and ultimately death.

Key Takeaway

If you are someone who recently came in contact with a Tuberculosis patient then you need to take precautions. This precaution will not only help you but also others around you. Here are some things that you need to do:

• Get your checkup done for tuberculosis. Understand if you have an infection or a disease. 
• Consult with your doctor to plan the course of action according to your test results.
• Educate yourself about Tuberculosis’s symptoms, transmission, and treatment.
• Keep yourself confined in a place with good ventilation. When you interact with someone, choose to wear a mask to avoid spreading of disease.
• Limit intimate interactions with others for at least 2 weeks or until the infection is out of your system.
• Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to combat the disease internally. When you have a strong immunity system, you are likely to win over any disease.

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