KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Johnson County, Kansas, Department of Health and Environment says six people at Olathe Northwest High School tested back in October are positive for tuberculosis (TB) infection.
Health officials have called those with positive TB infection test results, and letters were mailed to the homes of those with negative tests.
314 individuals were tested at Olathe Northwest High School on Oct. 12 and Nov. 14.
An Olathe Northwest student first tested positive and started receiving treatment in October.
People with latent TB infection are not contagious, do not feel sick and do not have TB symptoms. People with active TB disease can spread the bacteria to others, feel sick and can have symptoms including fever, night sweats, cough and weight loss.
Individuals with positive test results will be offered a chest X-ray and treatment to kill the bacteria with antibiotics to prevent the development of active TB disease.
The treatment time frame can take anywhere from three to nine months to complete.
The individuals who have tested positive are asymptomatic, and JCDHE will continue to follow up with them.
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