Learn about tuberculosis and how it’s spread
Here’s a quick look at tuberculosis.
Wochit
CHARLEROI, Pennsylvania ‒ A high school student in Washington County, Pennsylvania, who was recently diagnosed with tuberculosis showed up to school Monday without a doctor’s clearance, according to the Charleroi Area School District superintendent.
After learning the teen — who had been diagnosed a couple weeks ago — had returned without a doctor’s permission, school staff “immediately isolated the student and sent them home,” Superintendent Ed Zelich wrote in a message posted on Facebook. School employees “thoroughly cleaned” the spaces occupied by the student, the message continued.
Zelich said he, district principals and school nurses earlier Monday spoke about the incident with officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
“After reviewing the situation, they confirmed that no public health action is currently necessary for our district,” he wrote. “They have assured us they will promptly notify us if any changes occur or additional public health measures are needed.”
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis, reported in October, is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium and is spread through germs from infected people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The disease usually targets people’s lungs, although it can affect the brain, spine and kidneys. It can affect different parts of the body at the same time. Not everyone with tuberculosis becomes sick, and signs of illness sometimes appear gradually over months, reported.
Tuberculosis was once a common respiratory illness in the U.S. and contributed to numerous deaths each year. In the last 100 years, infections and deaths dropped dramatically due to concerted public health efforts focused on detection and early treatment.
Bethany Rodgers is a Network Pennsylvania capital bureau investigative journalist.
