Albany County Department of Health

to conduct TB screening at Albany High School

ALBANY, N.Y. (February 14, 2008) -- The City School District of Albany has been informed by the Albany County Department of Health that an individual at Albany High School has been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB).

The district is working closely with the Department of Health to contact staff and students who might have been exposed to ensure that they receive a TB skin test, which will be provided by the Department of Health. Those determined by the Department of Health to be at any risk of exposure is a relatively small number of individuals. They have been issued a letter notifying them of the situation. The Department of Health considers the risk to those exposed to be low.

“In Albany County approximately 10 cases of active TB are reported annually and the health department conducts investigations and screenings when necessary,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. James Crucetti. “Occasionally a case is identified within a school. The Albany County Department of Health has been working closely with the city school district to quickly identify any staff or students who might have been exposed.

“The prompt action taken by Superintendent Dr. Eva Joseph and her administration has been very helpful to inform the high school community and to assure that appropriate individuals receive TB screening tests,” he said. Dr. Crucetti also stated that this current case poses no threat to the health of the general public. 

Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease that is most often completely curable with medications. It is not considered to be as highly communicable as some other infectious diseases like flu or chickenpox. Exposure to TB results in illness in only a small number of healthy people infected, and generally develops over weeks to months. TB exposure is not immediately life threatening nor an emergency. Approximately 1,300 cases of active TB are reported annually in New York state.

Click here for additional information about TB, or visit www.cdc.gov or the New York State Department of Health’s Web site, www.health.state.ny.us. The Albany County Health Department can be contacted at 447-4640.

The City School District of Albany serves approximately 9,000 students in 18 elementary and middle and high schools. The district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students in addition to neighborhood schools. The district is more than halfway through its comprehensive facilities project to newly build and/or renovate nearly all of its elementary and middle schools. The ultimate goal of the facilities project is to provide schools with the resources necessary to help students succeed in the 21st century.