A possible tuberculosis exposure at Aurora Hills Middle School has triggered a public health investigation, Denver Public Health said in a statement on Wednesday.
There is no ongoing risk for those at the school. Denver Public Health, school officials and the Tri-County Health Department are working to “educate faculty and students about TB, and to test anyone potentially exposed.” The school is open and all activities are going ahead as scheduled, the release said.
Denver Public Health will host two town hall meetings for families and faculty at Aurora Hill Middle School to answer questions about the investigation. The first will be held on Jan. 17 and second on Jan. 22, both at 6 p.m. at Aurora Hills Middle School.
Tuberculosis is an airborne disease spread through germs usually affecting the lungs. Typical symptoms include a persistent cough, fever, weight loss, chest pain or nigh sweats. Denver Public Health urged those who have these symptoms to contact them or a primary care provider.
While relatively rare in the U.S., the disease continues to affect many people around the world and particularly in developing countries. Approximately 1 in 4 people globally is infected with the disease, according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention statistics. In 2017, the most recent statistics available, there were only 2.8 cases per 100,000 persons in the U.S., the lowest on record, according to the CDC.
Active tuberculosis can almost always be treated and cured with medicine, according to Denver Public Health’s Tuberculosis Clinic’s website.
