Health officials issued a warning this week after someone at a suburban Chicago high school was diagnosed with active tuberculosis
Health officials issued a warning this week after someone at a suburban Chicago high school was diagnosed with active tuberculosis.
According to the Lake County Health Department, the case was confirmed at Waukegan High School, where an unidentified person was "recently diagnosed with active tuberculosis." The school's district was notified and health officials said the person was being isolated from others while undergoing treatment.
"Those who may have been exposed to the individual while they were contagious have been notified and we are working with them to set up a time for them to be tested," the county health department said in a statement.
A representative for the health department told Telemundo Chicago the "team acted quickly to minimize risk and ensure the safety of students and staff," adding that "everything is under control."
Details surrounding the infected individual weren't immediately released. It remained unclear Tuesday if the person was a student or staff member.
Here's what to know about tuberculosis:
What is tuberculosis?
Health
According to Lake County health officials, tuberculosis, or TB, "is a disease caused by germs that spread from person to person through the air."
There are two types of TB, active and inactive, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted.
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"Not everyone infected with TB germs becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: inactive TB (or latent TB infection) and active TB disease," the CDC website states. "If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal."
The disease typically affects the lungs, but can also impact other body parts like the brain, kidneys or spine.
“Tuberculosis is an airborne infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs. It’s serious — but treatable," Dr. Alfredo Mena Lora, an infectious disease specialist with University of Illinois Health.
What are the symptoms of TB?
While those with inactive TB won't show signs of the disease right away, the CDC reports symptoms of active TB disease include:
- 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
"Individuals with latent TB infection have had a positive test result, but they do not feel sick, do not have symptoms and cannot spread TB germs to others," according to Lake County health officials. "Individuals with active TB disease have had a positive TB test and symptoms of the disease such as cough, night sweats and weight loss."
Without treatment, those with inactive TB can develop active disease and become sick, the CDC noted.
How contagious is tuberculosis?
The disease is spread through the air when a person with active TB coughs, speaks or sings.
"These germs can stay in the air for several hours, depending on the environment," the CDC reported. "TB germs are more likely to spread in indoor areas or other places with poor air circulation (such as a closed vehicle) than in outdoor areas. People who breathe in the air become infected with TB."
The Lake County Health Department said "while TB is contagious, it is not spread as easily as other illnesses, such as cold or flu," and while it can be a serious disease, it is also "treatable."
“TB can be treated effectively. The important thing is to detect it early and follow through with treatment," the department said.
In addition, those without symptoms can prevent a transition to "active TB" by getting treatment.
"We encourage anyone who is contacted by the Health Department about an exposure to take the necessary steps to get tested," the department said.
What about vaccination?
In the late 1800s, TB killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe. But the development of antibiotics and public health efforts succeeded in treating infections and tracking down those they infected, leading to cases falling for decades.
While there is a vaccine for tuberculosis, "the vaccine is not generally used in the United States" and its protection weakens over time, according to the CDC.
What else to know
Tuberculosis continued to rise in the U.S. last year, reaching its highest levels in more than a dozen years.
More than 10,300 cases were reported last year, an 8% increase from 2023 and the highest since 2011, according to preliminary data posted this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Both the number of cases and the rate of infections rose. Rates were up among all age groups, and 34 states reported an increase.
CDC officials say the rise is the mainly due to international travel and migration. The vast majority of U.S. TB cases are diagnosed in people born in other countries. Other illnesses that weaken the immune system and allow latent TB infections to emerge may also be at play.
Outbreaks in several states have contributed to recent TB trends, including a recent one in the Kansas City, Kansas area. The Kansas TB rate jumped 148% last year, according to the new CDC data. Alaska and Hawaii continue to have the highest case rates.
