Local health officials have confirmed two cases of tuberculosis at George Bush High School in Richmond, Texas, according to a report from the Houston Chronicle.
Investigators with the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services hope to collect blood samples from more than 600 people who may have been exposed to the illness. Individuals at risk for exposure were informed they needed to be tested for TB on Wednesday, according to the report.
"We take this very seriously," Kaye Reynolds, deputy director of the health department, told the Chronicle. "We want to get anyone who's infected but not ill on prophylactic medicine to prevent the infection from progressing and those who have active disease on the proper multi-drug regimen."
TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Infection occurs when someone with active TB transmits the bacteria to another person via coughing, speaking or singing. The illness can be deadly if left untreated.
To learn more about TB, click here.
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