Tuberculosis Found in South Dakota Tech Student

State Department of Health officials planned to test about 100 people at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology after a student there was confirmed to have active TB. About 100 students and faculty members were identified as having contact with the infected student, said Julie Smoragiewicz, vice president of university relations. "We want to identify those individuals that have been in close contact, not just routine or casual contact, but prolonged exposure," said Bonnie Jameson, administrator of the Health Department's Office of Disease Prevention. In 2002, South Dakota reported 13 cases of TB, and more than 100 people were treated with preventative medication. So far, 10 cases of TB have already been reported for 2003, Jameson said. "At this point, we're not overly alarmed that we're seeing this significant increase," Jameson added.

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