TB Tests Offered for Staff, Students at Illinois High School

Tuberculosis tests will be offered this week to students and staff at Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Ill., where a student has been diagnosed with an active infection, Cook County officials said Friday. The student, a native of a country with a high incidence of TB, is being treated and is expected to make a full recovery, health officials said. The student is not contagious, they said. A school spokesperson said the student is not attending classes.

"If we do about 2,300 tests, I expect we will see about 40 positive results," said Dr. James Gallai, executive vice president for field operations at the Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District.

Gallai said the student became ill late last month and was taken to a doctor by family members. The doctor diagnosed the TB infection and reported it to the TB district, which told the high school two weeks ago. He said TB district staff will administer skin tests at the high school on Tuesday to any student or staff member seeking one and will return Friday to check each test for signs of a positive reaction. Anyone with any level of TB infection will be offered treatment, he said.

Gallai said that 130 active cases of TB were diagnosed in suburban Cook County last year. In Chicago, there were 382 new cases last year, and in DuPage County there were 34 new cases. Those numbers were substantially lower than levels a decade ago. In 1993, Chicago had 798 new cases.

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