LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The Southern Nevada Health District is working with Clark County School District on a tuberculosis investigation involving a person with active TB disease who was on multiple school district campuses while they were sick and had the potential to spread the disease to others.
Based on the Health District’s preliminary investigation, the patient had minimal close contact with people at most of the campuses where they were present. However, students and staff at Ruthe Deskin Elementary School were identified as having potential TB exposure. Notifications are being conducted for all individuals identified as close contacts of the patient.
Active TB disease is a serious disease, SNHD noted. However, the Health District is emphasizing that not everyone who may have been exposed will be infected and not everyone who is infected with TB has active disease.
TB screening and testing are provided to identify cases of latent TB infection. People who have latent TB infection have no signs or symptoms of the disease. They are not sick and cannot spread the disease to others.
The Southern Nevada Health District said that it is committed to conducting “immediate and thorough investigations” of all known active TB cases as they are reported, with the goal of identifying individuals at risk of exposure. The Health District offers treatment for those people who are exposed and found to have a TB infection to prevent the development of active TB disease and avoid future exposures to TB cases in the community.
The Health District has set up an Information Line for people who may have additional questions about the investigation. It is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by calling (702) 759-INFO (4636) or (866) 767-5038.
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