Parents and students are worried about their health after Prince George’s County officials informed them that somebody at Parkdale High School was diagnosed with tuberculosis — but kept the person’s identity a secret.
In an effort to protect the individual’s identity, county officials won’t say whether the person afflicted with the deadly bacteria was a student or a faculty member.
“It could be anyone” said Parkdale student Denaysha Bowen, 15. “It could be your best friend walking right next to you.”
Parents received a letter Tuesday informing them of the infection’s presence in the school. And 124 faculty members and parents of students who may have come in contact with the bacteria received an extra note urging them to get tested, Erin Bradley, a spokeswoman for the county’s health department, said. The county will run a free testing clinic at the school on Monday.
Officials were able to pinpoint those who could have been infected because tuberculosis spreads only after prolonged contact in a closed area, Bradley said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria can be spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes, but requires prolonged and close contact.
The infection is treatable if it’s caught early, and typically comes with a cough that lasts more than three weeks, although in some cases the bacteria attacks the kidneys, spine or brain instead of the lungs, the CDC says.
Sheny Mordensen said she received a letter saying her daughter, a Parkdale sophomore, should get tested. “I’m worried … everybody eats in the same cafeteria and shares cups and plates,” she said.
Some families aren’t waiting to get a letter saying their student should get tested. Jamie Brown, whose sister is a Parkdale junior, said her aunt has already scheduled an appointment with the family doctor for her sister to get tested.
“It’s gross and they should be testing everybody,” Brown said.
fklopott@dcexaminer
