Public informed about TB case

The threat of a tuberculosis outbreak at a school can be a frightening occurrence. But the best way to prevent panic and unnecessary concern is to get the facts out quickly to all who might be affected.

That is exactly what happened when officials at Rock Hill’s Castle Heights Middle School first suspected that a student might have contracted TB. On Dec. 24, the day after he learned about the possibility that a student was infected, principal John Kirell called families and wrote a notification letter detailing the case, which involved an 8th-grade student.

In the letter, Kirell told parents that he had informed the state Department of Health and Environmental Control about the case and that he had been in contact with a DHEC physician regularly since the case surfaced. He said the doctor had told him that chances were minimal that many students were affected.

But, he added, “we need to be as transparent as possible.”

That included outlining the steps that would be taken to confirm whether the student had TB and, if the student tested positive, to interview and test anyone who might have been in close contact with the student. Narrowing down the list of those who might have been exposed is routine; testing the entire student body is rarely recommended.

DHEC sent a letter to parents dated Dec. 29 saying the case had been confirmed. The letter noted that DHEC was working closely with school administrators and that the agency would provide free tuberculin skin tests to anyone who might have been exposed or showed symptoms of the disease.

More information on testing recommendations and plans will be discussed with parents at a Thursday meeting at the school.

Tuberculosis remains a serious disease. It is a bacterial infection that normally begins in the lungs but can spread to other organs and, if untreated, it can be fatal.

TB is highly contagious, spread by coughing or other airborne secretions. Until a vaccine and effective treatments became available following World War II, TB often was a death sentence for those who contracted the disease.

Prior to the development of a vaccine and treatments, the focus was largely on isolating carriers so they wouldn’t spread the disease. TB sanitariums sprang up around the world for those who suffered from tuberculosis.

All that has changed, as the incident at Castle Heights illustrates. The emphasis now is on intervening as quickly as possible, determining if the disease has spread and eradicating it.

As noted, though, a crucial component to the process is transparency and ensuring that parents, teachers, students and others are well informed. Thankfully, all involved in the case at Castle Heights acted quickly and comprehensively to ensure the public knew what was happening.

The response of school officials should inspire confidence on the part of those who entrust children to their care.

This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Public informed about TB case."