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BROWNSVILLE
Illegal Immigrants May Have Brought Tuberculosis
Jun 16, 2005, 10:52 PM
Reported by April Norris

About 40 illegal immigrants from Cuba were found at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville .

What is more alarming is a disease they say they're carrying.

Initially the 40 Cuban detainees told U.S. Customs agents they all had tuberculosis, then their story changed numerous times.

But, Cameron County health leaders say no matter how many may have TB, it's a dangerous and very contagious disease, so all 40 are being tested.

Herb Tolentino, the director of nurses for the Cameron County health department says illegal immigrants are normally high carriers of tuberculosis.

"But, just because they used the word TB, they're taking the precautions, now everybody is being chest X-rayed just to make sure when they get released nobody is going to be contagious and spread the disease."

TB is an airborne disease, where bacteria builds in your lungs and starts to reproduce.

Tolentino says if it's not treated, it can kill you.

"You have 40 people coming from a poor area, even if there is one or two that has poor health, they're together for all this length of time in not very sanitary situations, the potential for disease spreading is right there."

He says illegal immigrants tend to be carriers because they come from countries where they don't receive health care.

The 40 Cubans recently detained are being tested at two different hospitals in Brownsville .

"If they come out negative they're going to be released, if they come out positive they're going to be detained."

Tolentino expects to know whether or not any of the Cubans tested positive on Friday.

If some do test positive, they'll be held in quarantine at the Bayview Detention Center , once they're better, they'll be passed through the immigration system.