Illinois: No Additional Tuberculosis Cases Discovered at Tinley Park School

TB tests have revealed no infection at Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Ill., where a student was diagnosed with the disease, according to Cook County health officials. Drawing from past experience, Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District officials had estimated the TB tests conducted last week could uncover as many as 40 additional cases at the school, which has about 2,350 students and 250 staff. Officials said the fact that no other cases surfaced probably indicates that the infected student did not have sustained, close contact with other students and faculty. "It [TB] is not contagious like a cold. You need daily, regular contact with an infected person to contract the disease," said Dr. James Gallai, executive vice president for field operations for the sanitarium district. The infected student, a native of a country with high TB incidence, is at home and is expected to recover, officials said.

Back to other CDC news for May 14, 2003

Previous Updates