After administering more than 135 tuberculin skin tests, the Student Health and Counseling Center believes that the danger of a pulmonary tuberculosis threat has been reduced and that students are no longer at risk, according to Director Debbie Scheff, R.N.
However, the diagnosis of a Parks College student earlier this month is under “further investigation” with several “new developments” as of Wednesday, said Scheff.
She could not comment further on the case.
Vice President for Student Development Kathy Humphrey, who oversees the center, could not be reached on Wednesday for further explanation.
Since tuberculosis is a communicable disease, the St. Louis Department of Public Health coordinates all response efforts. Their guidelines dictate that any household contacts of the infected patient must be immediately contacted and tested. From there, the health department decides who else must be informed, with recommendations for testing.
In the case at Saint Louis University, anyone in classes with the infected student were informed and recommended for testing. After that, the University community was informed through a University-wide e-mail and an announcement on the Web at SLU Newslink. In addition, a letter was sent to all students’ parents informing them of the situation and what precautions were being taken.
“I think the University felt we needed to be upfront and proactive,” said Scheff. “The more communication, the better.”
She explained that the University’s response all happened within a 24-hour period.
With such a quick response, it is important to understand why TB is so serious.
Scheff explained, “TB has been a concern in this country probably for the last 10 years.”
She said that this bacteria is most often brought into the country from abroad. The BCG vaccine is not recognized in the United States as a viable vaccine against tuberculosis but is used frequently in other countries. When international visitors, students and immigrants arrive in the United States and are tested for TB, they often show positive as a result of this vaccine.
An important fact of TB is that it can be dormant, lying inactive for years within a person, or active, causing severe symptoms and possibly death if untreated.
Many people with the BCG vaccine will show a positive test for tuberculosis, but upon chest X-rays and growing sputum cultures, the person will show dormant bacteria that can be treated with a six-month vitamin and antibiotic regimen.
If the bacteria shows active, then a one-year regimen of medications is applied. The response is generally good, when treated early.
Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis include rapid weight loss, night sweats and productive cough and sometimes blood in saliva.
The disease is transmitted between people through the respiratory system, such as by coughing and sneezing.
Anyone who fears they may have been exposed to tuberculosis is encouraged to visit the Student Heath and Counseling Center, located on the first floor of Marchetti East, with questions or to receive a skin test.
