Doctor Recommends TB Testing After Second Case Diagnosed In Jenks

Two Jenks High School students are receiving treatment for tuberculosis - a potentially deadly disease.

The school district informed parents of the second student's diagnosis Thursday - just 10 days after the school announced the first case.

The two cases of tuberculosis have many parents worried, and some health experts are advising testing for anyone who might have come in contact with the two affected students.

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And while the district stresses the spread of tuberculosis is very low, there is a real concern that other students could be affected, which is why the health department is offering free testing for any student who might have been on the bus or in class with the affected students.

"If you think you've been exposed to tuberculosis, go get checked," said Dr. Scott Ghere with the Family Practice at the Utica Park Clinic in Jenks.

Ghere said there are two types of TB - one that shows signs of being sick and can be deadly, and Latent TB.

"Latent tuberculosis you're not really going to have symptoms," he said.

Ten days ago, a student at Jenks Public Schools was diagnosed with TB; and Wednesday night another student was also diagnosed.

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Rob Loeber with Jenks Public Schools said, "All students who had class, and all students who rode the bus with this second affected student will be notified."

And the health department will offer free TB testing for those students.

"The risk of transmission is extremely low for the general population," Loeber said.

But, because TB is transmitted through the air – from people talking, coughing, sneezing, or singing – and because it can be active in the air for several minutes, it can cause someone to get Latent TB.

"If you inhale that, you can actually get that bacteria down into your lungs," Ghere said. “What that means is you have the bacteria inside your system."

But you aren't suffering from the symptoms, like fatigue, weakness, and trouble breathing.

Ghere said, "You can develop tuberculosis as long as two, three, four [years], or later on in your life."

His recommendation is to be safe and get tested if you are concerned.

Treatment of TB is monitored by the health department and, usually, antibiotics are used.

The Tulsa County Health Department is offering discounted TB testing for any students that might be concerned but wasn't identified as being in class or on the bus with the students who tested positive.