RICHMOND, Texas – A second round of testing for tuberculosis is scheduled from noon to 7:30 p.m. Thursday for hundreds of students and dozens of faculty members at George Bush High School.
Fort Bend County Health and Human Services officials said all 647 students and 27 faculty who were previously notified that they may have been exposed to the disease are required to attend the testing, unless they were one of the 11 people who tested positive for tuberculosis during the first round.
Officials said testing positive for the illness does not mean that the person is ill with an active case of TB. They said it only means that a person has been infected with the bacteria. They said some people may be infected with the bacteria and never develop an active case of the disease or spread it to others.
People who test positive for TB will be provided preventive medication and a medical evaluation to limit their risk of developing an active case.
Tuberculosis is a disease of the lungs that can affect other organs, officials said. It is not as easily spread as a cold or flu, but it can be spread by a cough or sneeze.
Symptoms include a persistent and productive cough lasting more than two weeks, unexplained fevers, night sweats, unexplained weight loss or coughing up blood, officials said. Anyone with these symptoms should immediately see their health care provider.
