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Case Of Tuberculosis Confirmed In Escambia School
September 28, 2010
A positive case of tuberculosis has been confirmed in the Escambia County School District.
The Escambia County Health Department and the school district confirmed the infectious disease in a student at Pensacola High School. The student was removed from the school after the case was reported on Monday.
The school district and health department are working to identify anyone that may have been in close contact with the individual. A TB skin test will be offered to student and staff on Friday.
School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas and Dr. John Lanza, director of the Escambia County Health Department, said it is safe for students and staff to attend Pensacola High School.
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spread from person to person through the air when an infected individual coughs or sneezes particles into the air. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal, according to health officials.
General symptoms of TB may include:
- Weakness
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Night sweats
Individuals who become infected with TB may not exhibit any signs or symptoms since the bacteria lie dormant in the individuals body. At this time the infected person is not contagious. They may develop the disease at a later time so they are given medicine to prevent this development. Individuals who develop TB disease are contagious and need to seek immediate medical treatment.
Comments
8 Responses to “Case Of Tuberculosis Confirmed In Escambia School”
Poor little mites….
As if the children in this town don’t have enough problems.
They said on the news last night that it took repeated exposure for this to
be a problem.
That sounded like garbage to me as I know that this is spread by just a simple
cough. All another child has to do is inhale it. Seems to me thats the same
way you get the common cold and that doesn’t take repeated exposure.
I’m sure there is something about the germ content that is different or something.
Guess I should google it or call my daughter who is a nurse, sometimes
I think she is smarter than some of the doctors I have had.
One great lesson as to why schools stress the importance for kids to have ALL their shots up to date, especially being around other children!!
I’m really concerned about this! TB in schools. Well, at least one. How many people have had contact with this person, whether it be at school, home, gas station, grocery store…And then, how many people have caught it and passed it on to someone else? This really is a big deal! I sure hope this doesn’t turn into a big outbreak.
maybe they didnt announce it to keep kids in school… if i knew there was a +TB case in my office, i wouldnt feel comfortable coming to work!
True, they did have a general announcement earlier in the afternoon, but that is the generally the exception rather than the rule. I imagine that this is something that they felt that they had to report, unlike what they did with the water quality story that was broken here first. I sent an email to the PNJ and WEAR asking them why they didn’t report that story until after they reported on this site given their larger staffs. I never received a reply from either entity.
You are right that 99% of the time you can only find information or find it here first… but to play the devil’s advocate WEAR did have the general announcement early in the afternoon (when just vague info was being released). So I don’t think you can say they “want to suppress” the info…. William is just better at getting the info and dispersing it efficiently
Now, the news on on the local station. To expand upon my earlier comment, thank Heavens for NorthEscambia.com. More than once I have found significant news here that is not on the PNJ or WEAR webpage. However, once it is posted here, those two magically discover the story that was covered here hours before. Keep up the good work NorthEscambia.com.
Once again, those of us in Pensacola have to go to NorthEscambia.com to get news about events in our area that the News Journal and WEAR TV want to suppress.