Springdale school tests for TB

SPRINGDALE - Tuberculosis, a once deadly disease, is making a comeback. The virus was found active in one Hellstern Middle School student last spring. Since the Arkansas Department of Health informed the school of the case, over one thousand students and teachers have been tested for TB.

"The original case was quarantined for two weeks, was under medication, and is now TB clear. This is very controllabe by medication, so if someone would happen to test positive then the next step is medication and it is very easily curable," said Rick Schaeffer, communications director for Springdale Schools.

The parents at Hellstern Middle School and Central Junior High were very cooperative, with 100 percent agreeing to be tested after being informed at the first open house of the school year.

"It was an informational meeting right up front," Schaeffer said. "Let's deal with this, this is what's going to happen, there's very little risk of this, but we're going to test everybody to make sure."

Of the fifty seven whose skin tested positive for the TB germ, only 9 showed any symptoms.

"The symptoms can be as innocuous as loss of weight, tiredness, a dry cough," said Barbara Ludwig, nursing coordinator for the schools. "You know, we're in Arkansas, it's allergy season. Anyone can have a cough or something."

It is not certain that a person exhibiting symptoms has the disease. Chest x-rays can show if the person has an active case of tuberculosis.

"There's a big difference between having tuberculosis and screening positive," Ludwig said. "Your body can react to that test that's injected under the skin if you have allergies. There may be some other reason for your body reacting to that."

This contact-related disease is very rare in the United States. Only 15 cases of school age children were reported in 2005.

No other active cases have been found in the Springdale school system, but x-rays are necessary for those who have tested positive.

Tuberculosis was once one of the leading causes of death in the United States. People with positive skin tests can be treated with a drug regimen.

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO BUY TERRORSTORM IN HARD COPY