TERRE HAUTE —
A suspected case of tuberculosis at a Vigo County middle school is cause for concern, but health officials are taking appropriate precautionary steps, says Union Hospital’s chief medical officer
Dr. John Bolinger said the suspected TB case at Woodrow Wilson Middle School “is a concern,” but Vigo County and state health departments “are there to handle situations like this. They’ll do the right thing.”
His advice?
“Don’t panic. Listen to the Vigo County Health Department. If officials recommend testing, get it. If they recommend treatment, do it,” Bolinger said.
Both latent TB infection, where there are no symptoms and germs can’t be spread, and active TB disease, which usually means symptoms and germs can be spread, are treatable, but they must be recognized and diagnosed first, he said.
If a person with an active TB case is not treated, that person can die, Bolinger said.
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air. TB germs are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings. The germs can stay in the air for several hours, depending on the environment, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
If the suspected TB case is confirmed, the level of risk for Wilson students and staff to become infected would depend on their level of exposure (whether there was close proximity over and over), their age and whether they have underlying health factors that might put them more at risk.
Those whose immune systems are compromised, and those with chronic diseases such as diabetes or lung disease, would be at greater risk, Bolinger said.
According to the CDC, people who breathe in air containing TB germs can become infected; this is called latent TB infection.
People with latent TB infection have TB germs in their bodies, but they are not sick because the germs are not active. These people do not have symptoms of TB disease, and they cannot spread the germs to others.
However, they may develop TB disease in the future. They are often prescribed treatment to prevent them from developing TB disease.
A positive tuberculin skin test indicates if a person has been infected with TB germs; but it does not tell if a person has TB disease.
On Monday, the suspected case of tuberculosis at Woodrow Wilson prompted health authorities to announce they will provide free TB testing next Tuesday for students and staff at the eastside Terre Haute school.
Testing is encouraged as a precaution, but it is not mandatory, and students must have information/consent forms signed by parents or guardians to get the tests.
Health officials anticipate testing up to 1,000 individuals Tuesday at the school, and they will check results May 31 to see if students or staff have positive tests.
Officials say there is a tight timeline because school is out Friday and Monday, and students’ last day of classes is May 31.
Meanwhile, a school district official said student absences were somewhat higher than normal Tuesday at Woodrow Wilson, and some parents have opted to have their children go to a private physician for a TB skin test.
Ray Azar, VCSC director of student services, said that on a typical day, about 5 to 6 percent of students would be absent. On Tuesday, about 9 percent of students were absent at Wilson, but the increase may or may not be related to concerns about the suspect case of TB, he said.
The person suspected of having TB is no longer at school. Officials say the individual was either a student or employee, but they will not be more specific in order to protect the person’s identity.
Health authorities prefer to do the skin tests at school as part of the mass clinic to see whether anyone tests positive, Azar said. That would determine who else might need to be tested.
If parents prefer to take a child to a private physician for the TB skin test, “we would like a copy of the results. It helps with our investigation,” said Joni Foulkes, Vigo County Health Department administrator.
Both the school and health department have received calls from parents concerned about the suspected case of TB, but they have not been inundated, officials say.
“For the most part, people understand. It’s something no one could foresee,” Azar said. “Everyone is doing everything possible to make sure kids are safe and tested.”
The health department is leading the effort. “The school district is proactive in this, and we are doing everything recommended,” Azar said.
Foulkes said that if the suspected case of tuberculosis at Woodrow Wilson turns out to be an active case, the person probably was contagious starting in December.
The individual first exhibited some symptoms in March, which means the person probably had active TB three months earlier, she said.
While the individual exhibited some symptoms in March, that would not necessarily trigger a concern about TB, she said.
Various steps are involved in confirming an active TB case, and the suspect case is now “in the final step,” which involves confirmation of a culture that takes about two weeks.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
TB case cause for concern, not panic
- Local & Bistate
-
-
Terre Haute Coke & Carbon: Cleaning up a legacy
When heavy equipment starts moving dirt next week at the former Terre Haute Coke and Carbon industrial site, city officials hope a new day will be dawning for a long-neglected part of town.
-
Diversity growing: New census report shows changing face of Indiana
Like the rest of the nation, Indiana is continuing on a trend toward greater diversity as the numbers of Hispanics, blacks, Asians and other minorities are rising at a faster pace than whites.
-
Valley following diversity path of nation, Indiana
Like much of Indiana, the majority white population in the Wabash Valley is on the decline, while minority populations are on the increase.
-
Court lets walkout fines against House Democrats stand
House Democrats who had to pay more than $100,000 in fines after they walked out of the Indiana Statehouse two years ago during a legislative session won’t get the help they sought from the Indiana Supreme Court.
-
Arrest made, victim identified in Rosedale homicide
The victim in a Parke County homicide that occurred last week has been identified as Kathryn A. Bays, 55, of Rosedale.
-
Vermillion industrial park gets award for transition
The Vermillion Rise Mega Park, a former chemical weapons base now an industrial park north of Clinton, has gotten national attention for its rapid transition to civilian from military use.
-
Slight damage from evening storm
Very little damage was reported from a late evening storm that rolled through the Wabash Valley on Tuesday.
-
U.S. 41 lane restrictions
Motorists should expect delays because of lane restrictions on U.S. 41 in Sullivan County next week as a railroad company repairs a rail crossing 1.2 miles north of Shelburn.
-
Lane restrictions next week on U.S. 41 at Shelburn
SHELBURN, Ind. – Motorists should expect minimal delays because of lane restrictions for U.S. 41 in Sullivan County next week as the railroad company makes repairs to the rail crossing 1.2 miles north of Shelburn.
-
Reputed Mafioso tip triggers new Hoffa body search
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The FBI saw enough merit in a reputed Mafia captain’s tip to once again break out the digging equipment to search for the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, last seen alive before a lunch meeting with two mobsters nearly 40 years ago.
-
UPDATE: Parke County homicide victim identified
ROSEDALE — The victim in a Parke County homicide that occurred last week has been identified as Kathryn A. Bays, 55, of Rosedale.
-
Court lets walk-out fines against House Democrats stand
INDIANAPOLIS — House Democrats who had to pay more than $100,000 in fines after they walked out of the Indiana Statehouse won’t get the help they sought from the Indiana Supreme Court.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: June 18, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Monday and Tuesday, based on jail records.
-
Back home again: Items from vaudeville stage and Terre Haute native sent to Historical Society
The staff at the Vigo County Historical Museum are excited about the arrival of priceless items used by Terre Haute-native Rose Fehrenbach and her husband, Edward Pierce, to promote their Vaudeville acts in the early 20th century.
-
Husband charged in Archer homicide
Terre Haute Police have found local reports of domestic violence between a Terre Haute man and his wife, whose body was discovered wrapped in a tarp and dumped in an Ohio ditch.
-
National Road panels dedicated
Rewind to the mid-1800s, when the trotting of a horse and buggy on National Road could be heard alongside the voices of people heading west, searching for opportunities.
-
Pence sets agency priorities
Following a directive from Gov. Mike Pence, state agency heads are reorganizing some of their top priorities to better reflect the first-year governor’s “roadmap for Indiana” plan for improving the state’s economy, infrastructure and health.
-
Another I-70 traffic snarl: Three injured in two related crashes
Three people were injured Monday afternoon from a pair of crashes on Interstate 70 that temporarily closed the highway and diverted traffic into Terre Haute.
-
Terre Haute man still hospitalized after scooter/car crash
A Terre Haute man remained hospitalized Monday at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis after his scooter struck a car early Saturday on Wabash Avenue at 25th Street.
-
Overpass repairs causing Interstate 70 lane restrictions
Repairs to the Frye Road overpass in southeastern Vigo County has caused a restriction to the left lane of Interstate 70 between the 13- and 14-mile markers, about two miles east of the Indiana 46 exit.
-
Indiana woman condemned for killing at 15 is freed
A woman who was sentenced to death at age 16 for taking part in the torture and murder of a 78-year-old Bible studies teacher was released from an Indiana prison Monday after growing to middle age behind bars.
-
Grant will let Vigo Library evaluate map collection
The Vigo County Public Library has received a $2,000 grant to evaluate its historic map collection, a library official announced Monday.
-
Four juveniles caught on elementary school roof; one injured jumping off
Police say a juvenile was lucky to have suffered only a broken leg after jumping from the roof of a Vigo County elementary school – dropping about 30 feet to the ground.
-
Farmersburg man sentenced after guilty plea in rape case
A Farmersburg man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to a rape that occurred at his parents’ residence in May 2012.
-
Still no information being released on Rosedale homicide
No new information was being released Monday afternoon concerning a Rosedale homicide.
-
Woman condemned for killing at age 15 freed from Rockville prison
INDIANAPOLIS — A woman who was sentenced to death at age 16 for taking part in the torture and murder of a 78-year-old bible studies teacher was released from an Indiana prison today after growing to middle age behind bars.
-
UPDATE: All lanes of I-70 now open
All lanes of Interstate 70 in Vigo County are now open — as of 4:15 p.m. — after multiple crashes shut down the eastbound lanes temporarily this afternoon.
-
Quinn signs into law tough fracking regulations
CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation giving the state the nation’s strictest regulations for high-volume oil and gas drilling.
-
BREAKING: Arrest made in Archer homicide
A Terre Haute man has been arrested and charged with felony murder and altering the scene of a death in the homicide of his wife, Kayla Herchelroath Archer.
-
Frye Road Overpass work to restrict lanes on I-70
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces the Frye Road Overpass construction will restrict the left lane on Interstate 70 between the 13- and 14-mile marker, beginning June 17. This lane restriction will be in effect for 24 hours a day for about two weeks.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-




