Parents at a second school in Charles County, Maryland, are being warned that their children may have been exposed to tuberculosis (TB).
After one person at La Plata High School was diagnosed with TB, the Charles County Department of Health has expanded its investigation to the Robert D. Stethem Education Center as well.
The person diagnosed with TB also frequented Stethem Educational Center, health department officials said Friday.
Officials did not specify whether the sick person was a student or staff member, or was affiliated with the school in another way.
School officials sent letters home on Friday to staff, parents and students who may have had contact with the TB patient. Health officials identified almost 300 people who need to be screened for the bacterial illness.
Health officials said tuberculosis is spread through the air, usually by coughing or sneezing. "Generally, a person must have prolonged exposure to the person with TB in order to breathe in a sufficient number of TB germs to cause a TB infection," Charles County health officials said in a statement.
Free screenings for the identified individuals will be held at La Plata Dec. 5 and at Stethem Dec. 6. A second round of testings will be conducted 12 weeks later.
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"Even if the first test is negative, a second test is needed to ensure a person is not infected with TB," the release said.
TB cannot be transmitted by touch or by sharing eating utensils. It responds well to proper medical treatment, officials said.
Anyone with questions should speak with their doctor or contact the Charles County Department of Health's Communicable Disease Control Program at 301-609-6900, ext. 6025, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Charles County officials say more information about TB is available on their website. A fact sheet is also available on the school system website here.
