Pearland DSI confirms TB at Pearland High School

PEARLAND, Texas (KTRK) –

Pearland School District and the County of Brazoria Health Department are investigating a reported case of tuberculosis at Pearland High School. According to the district, this is a person who had been to school before and who was given a preliminary diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Parents whose students were in close contact and exposed to the patient are informed.

Tuberculosis is often found in developing countries, but Houston has the highest number of cases reported in the state, followed by Dallas County.

"Pearland and Brazoria County are right next door, so it's not surprising that there's a case there," said Dr. Michael Chang, an infectious disease expert at UTHealth and UTPhysicians .

Tuberculosis is a bacterium that targets the lungs. Several generations ago, we talked about consumption and, for those with active symptoms at the time, it could be a death sentence.

"Now we are treating it with several types of antibiotics," Dr. Chang said. "Tuberculosis is drug-resistant, so we try different combinations to attack it."

In patients with active symptoms, the antibiotic treatment may last six months. If untreated in an active case, it can be fatal.

"Many latent patients have no symptoms and are not infectious," said Dr. Chang. "It is those who are in the active stage of the disease who can pass it on by coughing and sneezing."

The district will not confirm whether the suspect case is an adult, a staff member or a student. According to 2017, figures from the Texas Department of Health, in Brazoria County, had eight cases of tuberculosis last year.

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