Tuberculosis exposure at Champaign school under investigation

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has identified someone associated with Edison Middle School who has contagious tuberculosis.

CUPHD is evaluating students and staff who have been exposed. People who may have had prolonged exposure were sent a joint email from CUPHD and Unit 4 with directions on where and when to get evaluated.

Dr. Mamadou Tounkara, administrator at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, said the district has sent communication to up to 100 people. He did not confirm whether the person infected was a student or a staff member.

"We went through a really thorough contact tracing about this case specifically and making sure that people who have received the letter are the people who actually have spent more time with this person," Tounkara said. "As a public health, one of our roles is to make sure that we prevent the spread of infectious disease and this is some of the things that we would do in a scenario like this."

If you do not get an email, there is no need to test based on the current investigation.

The most common way someone can become infected with TB bacteria is by spending a significant amount of time in an enclosed space with poor ventilation, with a person who has active TB.

There is a difference between TB infection and TB disease. People with TB disease are sick from the bacteria that are active in their bodies. They may cough, feel weak, lose weight, have a fever, cough up blood, or have night sweats.

"Someone who has a cough that last three weeks and longer — that should be a concern," Tounkara said. "So if you have TB, you also exhibit a lot of weakness, weight loss, chills, fever, night sweats, and loss of appetite. Weaknesses and fatigue."

Those with the disease can spread TB bacteria to others.

People with TB infection without disease have TB bacteria in their body but are not sick because the bacteria are inactive. They cannot spread TB bacteria to others.

About one in ten people with TB infection get sick with the disease. TB can be treated and cured.

"Generally, treatment is very long," Tounkara said. "We have a treatment regimen from three months to four months and then in six months to nine months."

Anyone with questions can call CUPHD at 217-531-4341.