Ottawa Public Health issue alert on tuberculosis exposure at Sacred Heart High School

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is warning students, families and staff at a local high school about a risk of exposure to tuberculosis (TB).

In a letter families and staff, obtained by CTV News Ottawa, OPH says that some students and staff at Sacred Heart High School in Stittsville might have been exposed to tuberculosis bacteria between November 2022 and October 2023. OPH says it was not known during that time that there was a risk for TB in the school. The school has students ranging from grades 7 to 12.

OPH added the risk of the disease spreading is low.

“At this time, OPH is not aware of any person who could spread TB, who is attending or working at Sacred Heart High School,” the letter says.

A spokesperson for the Ottawa Catholic School Board directed all questions to Ottawa Public Health. In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, OPH said it is aware of approximately 115 people at Sacred Heart High School who might have been exposed to TB at the school and the investigation is ongoing. OPH reiterated that it is not aware of anyone attending or working at Sacred Heart High School who is currently infectious.

 

 

“OPH is continuing to work with school administration and staff to provide support and information for youth, parents/guardians and staff.,” the statement said.

OPH is recommending that the students and staff who might have been exposed be tested. OPH nurses will be at the school during the weeks of Dec. 11 to 15, 2023 and Jan. 8 to 12, 2024 to perform the tests.

“The timing of the TB skin test is very important as the test must be given after a certain time to ensure a true result,” OPH says.

Students and staff who have not been directly contacted by OPH do not need to be tested.

OPH will also be holding a general information session about TB for staff, students, and their parents or guardians at Sacred Heart High School on Tuesday. Two brief presentations will be provided starting at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., each followed by a question-and-answer period with a public health nurse.

A letter to the families of students who might have been exposed says it is possible that their child might have breathed in TB bacteria and will need to take a TB skin test.

“Ottawa Public Health will give the TB skin test during school hours,” the letter says. “Your child should return to the school to see the public health nurse two days after the test is done to read the results.”

OPH says if a test comes back positive, the nurse will arrange, with a parent’s or guardian’s consent, to have the child to visit a doctor who is specially trained in tuberculosis. Anyone with a positive skin test should undergo a chest x-ray and medical assessment to rule out TB disease.

How does TB spread?

Ottawa Public Health says tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that are spread from person to person through the air, typically through coughing or sneezing. The disease usually affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys or the spine.

People who are close to a person with TB for a long period of time can breathe in the TB bacteria. When this happens, it is called TB infection or latent tuberculosis infection. At this time, the individual is not contagious and does not feel sick; however, the TB bacteria in their body can develop into TB disease in the future.

 

 

“A person develops TB disease when his or her immune system cannot stop the TB bacteria from growing. This happens when a person is sick, stressed, not eating well or has other illnesses such as cancer, diabetes or HIV/AIDS,” OPH says. “With TB disease, the bacteria are growing, the person feels sick and the bacteria can be spread to other people.”

A person with TB disease might have the following symptoms:

• Cough
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Night sweats
• Weight loss

Health-care providers can recommend medicine for people with a TB infection to prevent it from developing into TB disease. TB disease can be cured and is treated through a daily antibiotics regimen that lasts at least six months.

 

 

This article was reported by CTV News