Solano County Student Diagnosed With TB; Town Hall Meeting Called

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — County and school officials are working to notify the public that a Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District student was recently diagnosed with an active case of pulmonary tuberculosis, more commonly known as TB. The infected student attends Laurel Creek Elementary School, a K-6 campus in Fairfield, but will not return to school until they've been medically cleared to do so, according to a joint news release from the Solano County Public Administrator's Office, the school district and Solano County Health and Social Services.

A letter has already been sent to all Laurel Creek parents, guardians and staff letting them know about the case of TB. Parents were also notified by phone and email.

Officials will also hold a town-hall style public information meeting from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 25 at the school, which is located at 2900 Gulf Drive in Fairfield. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria and will include a question-and-answer period.

Next week, Solano Public Health will hold a TB screening/testing clinic at the school.

"Our first priority is to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff at Laurel Creek," said Dr. Michael Stacey, deputy health officer and TB controller for Solano County Health and Social Services.

"The individual with active pulmonary TB disease is receiving treatment and will return to the school campus only after Public Health has provided clearance," Stacey said. "TB is a disease that can be treated and prevented, and we want to reassure everyone that there is no ongoing risk of infection from the active TB case at this time. Parents and guardians are encouraged to send their children to school and staff should report to work as usual."

TB usually affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body, including the brain, kidneys and spine. It is transmitted person-to-person through microscopic droplets that enter the air when a person with active pulmonary TB disease coughs, sneezes, talks or sings.

"It is important that we identify those who have had prolonged close contact in an enclosed space with the TB case and test them," Stacey said. "If necessary, we will treat individuals with antibiotics to prevent the development of active TB disease."

Laurel Creek Principal Todd Bennett said the school is "taking all the necessary steps to make sure people identified at risk for exposure are properly assessed by public health officials."

County health officials said not everyone who has a TB infection will go on to develop TB disease. There is a difference between TB infection and active TB disease, including:

People with TB infection:

• Have TB bacteria in their bodies
• Do not have disease and are not sick because the bacteria are inactive
• Cannot spread the TB bacteria to others
• Have about a 10 percent risk of developing active TB disease during their lifetime

People with active pulmonary TB disease:

• Are ill from the bacteria that are active in their body
• May cough a lot, feel weak, have a fever, lose weight, cough up blood or sweat a lot at night
• Are infectious and may transmit the infection to others until they are treated and have repeated TB tests
• Can be treated and cured
• Can resume public contact once cleared by a doctor

More information about TB can be found on the California Department of Public Health website and/or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

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