Tuberculosis Detected At Gwinnett School, Principal Says

SNELLVILLE, GA — A case of tuberculosis was recently detected at South Gwinnett High School, Principal Rodney Jordan said in a letter to families on Wednesday.

Patch obtained a copy of the letter Friday and has reviewed it.

In the letter, Jordan said there were people at the East Main Street school who needed to be tested. He did not identify them as students or administration.

Jordan said they will be tested for free by the local health department.

"The health and welfare of our students and staff is important to our community," he said.

South Gwinnett is monitoring the situation and is partnering with the local health department, he said.

Tuberculosis is a disease brought on by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis and can be active or inactive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is transmissible through the air when an infected person coughs, sings or talks.

People who develop inactive tuberculosis do not show symptoms, the CDC said.

However, symptoms of the active disease are the following:

• A cough that lasts three weeks or longer
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
• Weakness or fatigue
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Chills
• Fever
• Night sweats

Per the CDC, people who are most at risk of contracting the disease:

• Were born in or frequently traveled to countries where TB is common, including some countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America
• Live or used to live in large group settings where TB is more common, such as homeless shelters, prisons or jails
• Recently spent time with someone who has active TB disease
• Have a weaker immune system because of certain medications or health conditions such as diabetes, cancer and HIV
• Work in places where TB is more likely to spread, such as hospitals, homeless shelters, correctional facilities and nursing homes

Visit the CDC to learn more about the prevention, testing and treatment of tuberculosis.