Center School TB case not yet confirmed

Date: 10/18/2010

Oct. 18, 2010

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW -- The Longmeadow Board of Health and School Department are taking a wait-and-see approach to the suspected case of tuberculosis at the Center School.

The female school department employee is on leave while awaiting test results, according to Longmeadow Health Director Beverly Hirschhorn, who added that everyone else must do the same.

"This is just a suspected case at this time. If, indeed, the culture comes out positive, then the town will be offering free screenings, not only to children, but to any of her personal contacts," Hirschhorn said.

Both Hirschhorn and School Superintendent Marie Doyle confirmed the woman in question is an employee of the school department, but would not comment on her position or the amount of time she spends exposed to children.

Hirschhorn, however, did say "We will know who to screen based on the testing results. If it is a confirmed case, the information can help us come to the conclusion as to whether or not just the classroom needs to be screened or whether or not more of the school needs to be screened as well."

She added that, given the employee's medical history and other factors, "the risk of transmission is low."

According to Hirschhorn, getting children tested now would not be prudent.

"There's really nothing you can do at this point," Hirschhorn said. "From my understanding after talking to the state Board of Health, it takes a while for an infected person to develop an immune response. Therefore, if someone is infected, any testing done now would result in a false negative."

Hirschhorn said she has been in contact with "four or five local pediatric groups" and advised them on the situation.

Doyle lauded Center School principal Donna Hutton for the level of communication she has had with students' parents, calling it "outstanding."

"The principal has done a very good job of opening the lines of communication with the parents and any apprehension that they may have had is now gone," Doyle said. "There is a real sense of calm. There is no alarm at all here."