MADISON — A student at Bob Jones High School has tested positive for tuberculosis, school officials said.
Classes are continuing as normal and anyone who had potential contact received a letter last Friday with testing instructions.
Madison City Schools learned of the case from the Madison County Health Department late last week.
“Madison City Schools was recently informed by the Madison County Health Department of a tuberculosis case involving a student of Bob Jones High School,” said John Peck, a system representative. “Immediately upon learning of this, conversations began with the Alabama Department of Public Health, BJHS administrators, and Central Office admintrators on a response that ensures the health and well-being of students and staff. The students and staff are no longer at risk of exposure to the identified case.
“The Department of Public Health has strict guidelines to safeguard the public’s health in circumstances such as this.”
Based upon those guidelines, Peck said the following actions will be taken:
- Students at Bob Jones High School who have been identified as potential contacts must be screened for tuberculosis.
- Any potential contact will receive a letter today providing testing instructions.
In a statement, the Alabama Department of Public Health said only those who were in close contact with the student should be tested and also emphasized the risk of TB spreading in a setting such as a high school is very low.
“On Oct. 11, Alabama Department of Public Health officials notified Bob Jones High School of plans to investigate a case of pulmonary tuberculosis identified in a student,” the statement said. “ADPH and Bob Jones High School are working closely to ensure that any students and/or staff in close contact with the case will be screened quickly. A close contact is defined generally as spending an extended amount of time with the subject in a physically close environment.
“TB is a treatable and preventable disease. Persons who were in close contact with the suspect case will be rapidly assessed and appropriate preventive measures taken. The Health Department recommends that only those who were in close contact with the student need to be tested. Due to privacy concerns, ADPH will not be releasing any further information about the case at this time.”
According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria. It spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze, or spit.
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