TB Tests Show No New Infections -- Horn Lake Intermediary Conducts a Second, Followup Round
Posted on: Saturday, 3 December 2005, 12:00 CST
By Jimmie Covington covington@desotoappealcom
A second round of skin testing for more than 750 students and employees at Horn Lake Intermediate School this week showed no new positive results for tuberculosis infection, a health officer said Thursday.
Twenty-nine students and employees were absent on the initial day of testing this week and results are not yet in on them, but everything is looking good at the school, said Dr. Alfio Rausa, a district officer with the state Department of Health.
"The happy news right now is that we have no new infected kids or any infected faculty," Rausa said. "I really can't say enough about the school system and the cooperation of the kids and parents."
Eight youngsters had positive skin tests in the first round of testing in October, but chest X-rays showed no evidence of active TB among the eight. People who test positive for infection cannot transmit TB to others unless they develop active cases.
The eight students are all receiving medication for nine to 12 months to kill any TB organisms that might be present in their bodies.
All those involved in the second testing this week had tested negative in October, but since TB has a 90-day incubation period for infection, the additional testing was conducted to make sure that no further infections were present.
After an adult at the school was hospitalized in late August or early September, laboratory and follow-up testing found that the person had an active case of TB. Rausa has said he understood that the individual had problems other than TB "that caused this person to be hospitalized."
The person is now deceased but whether TB was a factor in the death has not been reported. TB can be fatal if untreated.
Noting the low number of positive results in the first testing, Rausa said he "was hoping and anticipating" that no new infections would be found in the second testing.
"I can't tell you how happy I am, and so was the staff and the school," he said. "I am sure the parents are going to be delighted, too."
- Jimmie Covington: (901) 333-2010
Source: Commercial Appeal, The
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