Cal State San Bernardino student diagnosed with tuberculosis

A Cal State San Bernardino student has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis and in response, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health officials, in collaboration with the university, will be sending out notifications to students, faculty and staff who may have been exposed to the illness.

The student, who lives off campus and attended classes at the San Bernardino campus, is receiving treatment and is expected to recover, but will not return to school until medical clearance is issued by the health department. The student is not being identified due to confidentiality requirements.

San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s Communicable Disease Section (CDS) officials, working with the university, are in the process of notifying about 400 individuals who may have been exposed during the months of April through August. Individuals contacted by DPH need to be screened for TB infection. Those who do not receive notifications are not considered to be at risk of exposure.

“If you are identified by our county, it’s very important to get tested. Testing helps catch TB infections early and treatments are available,” said Dr. Richelle Marracino, CSUSB Student Health Center Medical Chief of Staff.

Although the risk of transmission is low, it is recommended that students who may have been exposed visit their primary care provider, the CSUSB Student Health Center or DPH to get tested. CSUSB employees who may have been exposed should visit their primary care providers or DPH to get tested.

TB is a disease spread through the air during prolonged, repeated and close contact with an individual who is infected with active TB. People may contract TB when breathing air exhaled by someone who is sick with the illness. When left untreated, TB can result in serious complications.

TB is not spread by shaking hands, sharing food or drinks or via bed linens or toilet seats. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. A person with inactive (latent) TB cannot spread it to others.

To contact the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, call (800) 722-4777.

To contact the CSUSB Student Health Center, call (909) 537-3276.

For more information on tuberculosis, please visit these websites:

https://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/factsheets/general/tb.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/features/tbsymptoms/