Foreign-Born Students at Auraria Campus in Denver to Be Tested for Tuberculosis

All of the nearly 5,000 foreign-born students at the Auraria Higher Education Center in Denver will be tested for tuberculosis during the next four weeks. The campus houses students from the Metropolitan State College of Denver, the University of Colorado-Denver and the Community College of Denver. About 900 students received the initial skin test on Monday and Tuesday, and on Wednesday, they began coming in to have the results read. Auraria health officials say they expect that 40 percent to 50 percent of those tested will only be reactive, or exposed, to TB. Officials said Wednesday that students exposed to TB would be given free medication to reduce their chances of ever developing it. If any students are found to have active TB, they will receive immediate medical care. Those who test positive will not be deported or kicked out of school, officials said, but those who do not get tested will not be allowed to register for classes next fall. The TB program comes in response to a scare two years ago, when three active cases of TB were found on the Auraria campus.

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