Tuberculosis Outbreak Hits Texas High School

Texas' George Bush High School is facing a serious tuberculosis outbreak in the lead-up to the new school year. KHOU reports screenings of students and faculty at the Fort Bend school have revealed 20 active cases of TB. Students and faculty were told they must come in for testing over the summer or would not be allowed to start the school year. According to the Houston Chronicle, 228 students and staff were tested in the first round on June 19, revealing 10 active cases of TB. Another 10 active cases were discovered among 559 students and staff during a second round of screening on Aug. 3. Treatment of TB can last for up to two years. However, untreatable strains of TB are increasingly common and have been found in Fort Bend County in the past. (More tuberculosis stories.)