Person on UMass Boston campus diagnosed with tuberculosis
SOUTH BOSTON - A person on the UMass Boston campus in South Boston has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis.
The school said there's no health risk to the general public. The Boston Public Health Commission is now working with the school to trace and inform anyone who came into close contact with the patient.
There are two main types of tuberculosis (TB) - TB infection and TB disease. Someone who is infected carries the bacteria in their lungs, but they don't have symptoms and they aren't contagious. However, in some people, the bacteria can become reactivated, which may occur months or years after the initial infection. These patients have active TB disease and at that point are contagious.
However, unlike measles or COVID-19, respiratory illnesses that are easily passed from person to person, TB transmission requires closer contact, essentially someone who shares an enclosed space with the sick person for more than four hours a week. At a university that might include a dorm room or classroom.
Close contacts are usually tested right away and if negative, again in eight to ten weeks, obviously sooner if they develop symptoms like a cough, fever, night sweats or weight loss. If someone tests positive but is otherwise feeling well, they will take antibiotics for several months. And if someone does develop TB disease, they can also be treated successfully with antibiotics. So, while this is a nuisance for students, faculty, and their families, everyone should be OK.