Student’s TB Leads to Tests for 150 in Fountain Valley

About 150 Fountain Valley High School students were tested for tuberculosis Tuesday after a student there was found to have the contagious disease.

The girl’s teachers and 200 students who shared classes with the girl last semester were notified last week that they would have to undergo mandatory testing. The rest of the high school’s 2,400 students were notified that they had the option of being tested, but only about five volunteered, Principal Gary Ernst said.

Testing will continue through the week, but most of the results will be read Thursday.

“The parents are satisfied because they got the information right away, because they know that TB is not highly contagious and because we are on top of things,” Ernst said.

The Fountain Valley student found to have the illness had been coughing for three months, but it wasn’t until Jan. 27 that a family doctor notified county health officials that a student had an active case of tuberculosis. She is undergoing treatment with antibiotics and has not been on campus since seeing the doctor.

The skin test for tuberculosis consists of a solution placed under the skin of the forearm. If the bacteria is present, a bump will form within 48 hours. But a bump does not necessarily mean a diagnosis of tuberculosis; only a follow-up chest X-ray confirms an active case of the disease. An X-ray machine will be on campus Thursday.

Symptoms of tuberculosis include coughing, night sweats, weight loss, weakness and coughing up blood.

Tuberculosis is an airborne disease, spread through coughing, sneezing and at times talking and singing.

Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium that attacks the lungs.