Tests Offered at KSU After Tuberculosis Diagnosis

The Cobb Board of Health and Kennesaw State University’s WellStar Student Health Services will be on campus Tuesday administering free tuberculosis skin tests after someone at the university tested positive for the illness last week.

Although a KSU health official said the risk of transmission is extremely low, the university would adhere to the state’s guidelines for tuberculosis testing. As such, tests will be offered at the Social Sciences Building on Tuesday, with health officials returning to check the results on Thursday.

The skin test, also known as a Mantoux test, involves an injection of an extract of the Tuberculosis bacteria into a site between the first two layers of skin. Two to three days later, doctors examine the injection site to see if it a raised, hardened area has developed. If so, the person has been exposed to Tuberculosis bacteria.

KSU has not said who the infected person is, but has provided extra notification to some 200 people who had more direct contact with him or her. KSU urges these people to get a skin test on Tuesday or have one administered by a doctor in the immediate future; failure to do so will draw the attention of the Cobb County Health Department.