No New Cases Of Tuberculosis Found At St. Louis Park High School

Hennepin County Public Health has reported that it found nothing unusual or concerning after testing more than 100 staff and students at St. Louis Park High School for potential Tuberculosis (TB) infection last week.

No new or suspected cases of active or infectious TB disease have been found at the school, according to officials.

In a message posted Monday, Superintendent Rob Metz said county officials found "nothing unusual or concerning after testing 100+ staff and students at St. Louis Park High School for potential tuberculosis (TB) infection last week."

Metz said those tested were identified by the health department as the members of the school community most likely to have had close and prolonged exposure to an individual with infectious TB disease at the school this fall.

Previous coverage:

• Tuberculosis at St. Louis Park High School: What to Know

Metz added that the health department’s normal TB investigation and follow-up protocols will continue to be followed at the school to ensure all students and staff with potential exposure have been appropriately evaluated.

It is unknown if additional cases of latent TB were found. According to the Hennepin County Department of Health, thousands of people have latent TB infections which are unknown. Latent TB does not spread.

"On behalf of the school district, thank you all for your cooperation as we worked closely with the Hennepin County Department of Public Health to address this health concern in our school," Metz continued. "I want to extend a personal thank you to Director of Special Services Tami Reynolds, High School Nurse Kelli Brown and all of the health services staff and volunteers who played a role in this effort."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but the bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with the bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease. If not treated properly, the disease can be fatal.

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