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Fort Lauderdale, FL - Health officials in Fort Lauderdale are responding after a confirmed case of active tuberculosis (TB) was identified at Dillard High School.
According to the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, the individual who tested positive for TB was recently on campus, though authorities have not released whether the person is a student, staff member, or faculty.
The Department of Health, working alongside Broward County Public Schools, has already contacted those believed to have been in close proximity to the infected individual.
School officials assured families that no action is necessary unless they are contacted directly.
Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial disease that typically affects the lungs and spreads through airborne particles when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks.
Only a small number of bacteria are needed to cause infection, according to the World Health Organization.
Symptoms often include a chronic cough, chest pain, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
In more severe cases, patients may cough up blood or suffer damage to organs beyond the lungs.
Health workers will be on-site at Dillard High to conduct TB testing for those identified as close contacts, with parental consent required for student testing.
While TB can be fatal if untreated, it is curable with a six-month antibiotic regimen.
However, stopping treatment early may result in antibiotic-resistant strains.
In the U.S., the TB vaccine, known as BCG, is rarely used, except in special circumstances and in consultation with health experts.
The investigation is ongoing as health officials continue monitoring the situation.