Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 was informed by the
Dakota County Public Health Department on March 26 that one person at
Burnsville High School is suspected of having the infectious disease
tuberculosis. About 35 people will be recommended for TB screening at Burnsville High School, according to ISD 191 Communications Coordinator Rut Dunn.
Information is being sent to staff members and
all parents and guardians of students at the school. In addition, those
individuals who are recommended for screening are being notified by a
separate letter about the process that will take place.
Last
year, similar screening took place that involved a number of people
associated with the high school. No one was found to have tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that are spread through the
air when a person with infectious tuberculosis coughs, sneezes, speaks
or sings. Generally, tuberculosis is not easy to contract, and
prolonged exposure to an infectious person is required for infection to
occur. Between two and 10 weeks after a person has been exposed, the
tuberculosis skin test will turn positive if infection has occurred. A
positive tuberculosis skin test does not mean that a person has
tuberculosis, but it does mean that a follow-up chest X-ray should be
completed and that medication may be required to treat the infection.
More
information about TB is available on the Minnesota Department of Health
Web site at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/tb/index.html .
Anyone
with questions can contact a public health nurse at the Dakota County
Public Health Department at (952) 891-7500 (ask for a nurse in the
Disease Prevention and Control unit).
