Dangerous infectious disease Around 900 students have to undergo the tuberculosis test

Highly Infectious Disease: Hundreds of students and teachers must go to the TBC test

In Dresden, about 900 students and teachers from two schools are currently being tested for a possible infection with tuberculosis. Every day, up to 120 people are bled for it. Since September, several TB diseases had occurred at the two schools.

Hundreds of people have to undergo tuberculosis examination

Since September, a total of four tuberculosis diseases have occurred at the HOGA-Gymnasium and the HOGA-Oberschule Dresden, reports the Dresden health authority. Therefore, hundreds of students and teachers from both schools are now being tested for TB. "To maximize the certainty and safety of the 900 students, we decided to extend the ongoing tuberculosis screening to everyone at the two schools. You will be asked to take blood samples on site, "said the head of the Dresden health department and medical officer Jens Heimann.

In Dresden there were several tuberculosis diseases in two schools. Now hundreds of students and teachers have to take the TBC test. (Image: Zerbor / fotolia.com)

Contact with infectious persons

According to the health authorities, of the 400 blood samples collected so far by students and teachers from the two schools as of December 8, 2017, a total of 164 findings are available. According to the data, the latest laboratory evaluations produced ten new positive test results.

"The number of people to which tuberculosis bacteria have been transferred thus increases to a total of 22 people," Heimann said in another press release.

"That does not mean that the people affected have tuberculosis. It merely states that they had contact with infectious individuals and that the virus was transmitted, "said the head of the health department.

"New cases, ie an open tuberculosis, are not available."

But: "Every case is taken seriously and checked in accordance with the personal health status and the situation," Heimann said.

And: "A danger to the population, beyond the scope of the school concerned, does not exist," it says on the HOGA website.

Therapy with a combination of different antibiotics

The parents of the affected students are informed and advised by employees of the health department.

The children and adolescents are then further examined at the Dresden University Hospital. There, the necessary steps are taken, including X-ray of the lungs.

Depending on whether a tuberculosis disease is actually present, a therapy with a combination of different antibiotics is performed. Otherwise, the patients are treated preventively.

Transmission by droplet infection

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infectious disease that affects the lungs in particular. Previously, the disease was also referred to as "consumption.".

The triggers are so-called "mycobacteria", which affect the lungs in particular and are mainly transmitted during coughing, sneezing and speaking.

At the beginning of the disease, nonspecific symptoms such as coughing, night sweats and a slightly elevated temperature are more likely to appear.

Later, the symptoms increase and, among other things, high fever, persistent cough with sputum and shortness of breath can occur.

Years can go by from infection to outbreak

According to health experts, the disease can be overlooked during examinations, as it can take years from the infection to the onset of TBC years.

As the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) writes on its website, there may even be "decades after infection" to a disease of tuberculosis, especially if the immune system is weakened. (Ad)