By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

LAPLACE – The parents of East St. John High School students have received a letter from the St. John School Board informing them of a possible case of tuberculosis at the school.

Superintendent Michael Coburn sent out a letter to the 1,600 students at the school, informing their parents that the Louisiana Office of Public Health (OPH) was investigating a possible case of TB involving a student from East St. John High School.

Coburn said the parents were sent one of two letters, telling them the school system believed their child was or was not possibly infected.

He said that only about 150 students have been in the classroom with the student in question, and therefore, all those students will be tested the week of Jan. 29 for TB.

&#8220We sent letters to all the parents at the school telling them there was a possible case of confirmed TB for a student from East St. John,” Coburn said. &#8220But only about 150 students were ever in a classroom with that student, so those are the only ones we feel a need to test.”

Two separate letters were sent out to parents, with one stating the school thought their child might have been infected, and the majority of the letters telling parents the school system did not believe their child was infected.

Coburn said that the state Office of Public Health apparently was informed recently about a student who may have had TB, and went to the school.

&#8220It’s normal procedure for the state office to be informed,” Coburn explained.

He did not know how the investigation began or how the state got information about the possible local case, but said he was informed on Wednesday, January 10 from the OPH about the possible confirmed TB case.

By Friday, letters were sent home with students, and also were mailed to all parents, to make sure all were contacted about the possible TB case.

Tuberculosis is a serious lung disease that is passed on by breathing air in from a person who has active TB. You can only get TB from breathing in the air, and not any other way, state officials said.

&#8220This (letter) does not mean that there is definitely a case at the school,” the letter to parents said. &#8220There is only a possible case as of now.”

However in these instances, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that OPH test individuals to a possible case immediately and then again three months after exposure.

Coburn said that parents should be informed &#8220shortly after” the TB tests to let them know if any other students test positive.