Thread: NC: UNCG Student Diagnosed with Possible Tuberculosis

Staff Writer

10:37 AM EST, February 24, 2010


GREENSBORO, N.C. - A UNCG student has been diagnosed with what appears to be tuberculosis, the Guilford County Health Department announced Wednesday.

According to the health department, the student was diagnosed with signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis late last week at UNCG Student Health Services. The student was transferred to a hospital, which found further evidence of TB.

"We're one flight away from any part of the world and this individual comes from a different part of the world where tuberculosis is not at a historic low." said Dr. Ward Robinson with the Guilford County Health Department.

The health department said the student is responding to antibiotics and may return to school once he or she is no longer contagious.

The student and the university are now trying to identify and test others who may have come in contact with the possibly infected student. Those people include residents living in the same dormitory and other students and faculty in the same classes as the student.

"When I got back to the room there was this note left on my door that said I have to be in the dorm on Friday, 8:00 to 8:00 to get a tuberculosis skin test." said UNCG student Megan Pope, who lives in the Phillips Hawkins Residence Hall where the student with TB symptoms also lives.

The health department said approximately 600 people have been identified as being at risk of acquiring TB. All of them will receive a TB skin test at no cost. Those with positive results will be offered free antibiotics.

The school and the health department have scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to discuss the issue. UNCG health officials say it is the first case of TB on campus in more than a decade.

http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-uncg-tu ... 5424.story

Immigration related TB! Now the question is how did this student get into the University with TB? They require a TB test so she must have caught it from either travel or from a relative over Christmas is proper school admission procedures were followed.

If she caught it from someone here in the US, the chances are high that person is here illegally since all legal immigrants to the US had to pass TB screenings for the last 120 years.

W

Updated: 2/24/2010 6:34:50 PM

Greensboro, NC -- A student at University of North Carolina - Greensboro was hospitalized after showing signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis.

The student originally went to the Student Health Services on campus before he was transferred to the hospital where further evidence of TB was found.

FACTS: Learn more about TB

The student is responding to antibiotics and may return to school when no longer contagious.

Approximately 600 students and faculty from classes and a residence hall are being tested. Those with positive skin tests will be offered antibiotics free of charge.

Health leaders nor the university are releasing the student's name or how he came down with TB, but News 2 did learn from people close to the student that he lives in the International House on campus.

The Health Department suspects the student came down with it another country, but there's no way they can be certain.

The student had chronic cough and an abnormal chest X-Ray. He's still in the hospital recovering.

We spoke with someone who knows the student who updated us on his condition.

"I think he's much better," said Jaimie Benavides. "He wasn't very good like one week ago. I'm not worried about getting TB. We already took the test and at least I am not infected," he said.

Health leaders do not believe there is a wide-spread risk beyond those 600 students and staff. The school sent out an email to the entire student body to make everyone aware of the TB case.

There is a free TB screening clinic this Friday for students. It's from 8:00am to 8:00pm at the UNCG Health Center.

TB is treatable however it can take up to 6 months for a full recovery.
WFMY News 2

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The once "conquered" scourge of tuberculosis has made a terrifying comebac (the American Lung Association has called TB "out of control"), and drug-resistant TB accounts for more and more new cases. The reason? Record legal and illegal immigration levels. Indeed, the highest numbers of multi-drug-resistant TB cases are in New York, California, Texas and Florida – states with the highest populations of new immigrants.

Leprosy, the contagious skin disease evoking thoughts of biblical and medieval times, is now making its mark in the United States, and many believe the influx of illegal aliens is the main factor.

Other diseases once virtually unknown in America, like Chagas disease and Dengue fever, are cropping up in southern border areas, while old and much-feared plagues like polio and malaria are also on the upswing.

Compounding all of this, the astronomical number of illegal aliens swarming into the United States is forcing the closure of dozens of hospitals, spreading previously vanquished diseases and threatening to destroy America's health-care system.