DALLAS — El Centro College is dealing with a suspected case of tuberculosis.
The Dallas County Community College District will contact students who attend three classes with the individual involved. Those students will receive written notice on Monday and Tuesday.
The college is reporting that only El Centro students who attended class with this student have been exposed and should be screened.
Health officials can receive a routine TB skin test administered by Dallas County Health and Human Services staff members on Wednesday and on April 24.
This is the sixth North Texas campus affected by tuberculosis this school year. El Centro officials tell us this case does not seem to be related to any of the other college cases.
Right now, there is just one suspected case of TB at El Centro. About 80 students who attend three classes with that person are being notified during class on Monday and Tuesday. They will have a routine skin test on Wednesday that will indicate how many may have been exposed to the lung disease.
TB bacteria spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It typically takes long-term exposure to become infected.
While TB is potentially fatal, it can be treated.
Two years ago, Dallas County recorded just under 200 cases. Awareness of the symptoms — like chronic coughing — is key to stopping the spread of TB.
