Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta reported today that a case of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) was reported in an individual affiliated with the Public Service Leadership Academy (PSLA) at Fowler High School. Dr. Gupta explained, “While TB is less common than it once was, it still remains a public health concern. Anyone can contract the disease after exposure to an active TB case. It is treatable and curable by specific antibiotics treatment.”

Tuberculosis is caused by bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is an airborne bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. TB is spread when an infected person coughs, speaks, laughs, sings or sneezes into the air and the germs are inhaled by others. Symptoms include: persistent cough, feelings of weakness or lethargy, weight loss, low-grade fever, and/or night sweats. Active TB can take several months after infection to develop.

Those who may have been exposed to this individual should be evaluated for their symptoms and should be tested for any evidence of TB.
The Onondaga County Health Department is working collaboratively with the Syracuse City School District to identify and screen those who may have been exposed. The Health Department will continue to monitor the situation and inform the public.

For more information about tuberculosis visit www.cdc.gov/tb