Tuberculosis warning sent to Long Island school district after students may have been exposed - CBS New York

The Patchogue-Medford School District said in a letter that the Suffolk County Health Department has alerted them to an infectious person in the school community.

Tuberculosis alert sent to Long Island school district after students may have been exposed

A Long Island school district is warning parents that their children may have contracted tuberculosis after learning that "an individual in the school community" was being treated for the highly contagious and potentially fatal disease.

The Patchogue-Medford School District said in a letter to some parents in January that the Suffolk County Health Department first notified them about the contagious person.

"We are contacting you because we have reason to believe that your child was in contact with this person for an extended period of time during (his) infection," Superintendent Lori Canetti said.

The students were tested for tuberculosis

Suffolk's health department recommends that all parents who receive the letter have their children have a Mantoux PPD skin test or Quantiferon blood test for the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB).

Students are being offered free skin tests at Patchogue-Medford High School, and another round will be offered in March after a two-month incubation period, the interim superintendent said.

Parents who have their children tested outside of school are asked to provide documentation, including test results, to the Department of Health.

Tuberculosis can be very dangerous if not treated properly.It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis and usually affects the lungs, but can also affect the brain, kidneys and spine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is spread by bacteria in the air.

"Not everyone infected with TB germs will get sick. As a result, there are two conditions associated with TB: inactive TB (or latent TB infection) and active TB disease," according to the CDC website.

Symptoms of tuberculosis usually include a cough, chest pain, and coughing up blood, according to the CDC.